The Weariest of Bones
by Writing on my hands
Summary: One tattoo in particular stood out, away from all the rest and just under the back of his left shoulder blade; above where his heart would be, simply said the word 'Beth'. She stared at it; her mind traveling at thirty miles a minute and a deafening silence descending upon her. (NB: My Eric's still really mean.)
1. Introduction

**The Weariest of Bones**

 **Introduction**

She felt like everything in her had stopped, as if she were a huge clock that had ground to a halt, it's no longer useful hands frozen against it's face stuck and unable to move, it's cogs stopping of their own accord and too an outsider looking in, it would have seemed like there was no reason for it at all.

"Elizabeth?" She blinked, snapping back to reality as the world suddenly sped back into real time and she nodded rapidly to try and cover up that she hadn't been listening. "No surprise I'm back obviously,"

"Of course," she said with a forced smile but feeling her hands beginning to shake, her knuckles tightening around the books she held to her chest.

"I mean there wasn't really any big surprises this year transfer wise. Pretty much everyone knew about Eric right?"

"Of course!" she exclaimed with a breathy laugh.

"I mean he was always a bit on the wild side wasn't he?" Gregory said with a light-hearted laugh, smiling warmly down at her.

"I'm sure he'll be extremely happy in dauntless," she said with a smile, he returned this.

"God knows I will be, can't come after you anymore," He said with a wink, she smiled, letting out a small laugh. "Anyway, I've got a class to attend so I'll see you soon?"

"Of course, you know I'm always around." He gave her a wink, his hand brushing down her shoulder before he moved off.

She felt her breath catch in her throat as he left, and was suddenly extremely aware that she couldn't breathe. She moved, hurrying through the main library and as she exited beginning to run, feeling tears burn in her eyes horribly as she stumbled into one of the reading rooms which she knew would be empty. She dropped her books to the floor with a clatter, turning and throwing her hands against the door and slamming it closed from the world.

She stayed there for a second, her hands pressed against the smooth wood, head down as if she felt nauseous. For a moment it was silent, the only sound being her unlevelled breathing, which slowly began to evolve, rapidly turning into shaking breathy sobs and she turned, pressing her back against the door. She looked out into the dim light at the world outside of the tainted window and it occurred to her for the first time how grey it all looked, how cold everything here was. She gasped for air which she still couldn't catch hold of, as if it had all evaporated, as if the room had been sucked dry of every molecule of life.

She made a sound of confused, desperate frustration and suddenly moved, grabbing the notebook from the floor and ripping it open with such force she almost tore it in half. Her eyes scanned over pages and pages of handwriting, reading them over and over again as if looking for some hidden clue of betrayal, her heart feeling as if it was going to rupture then and there in her chest. It was here! It was all here! The words of someone who loved her written for her by him in his own hand, words and words and words, she hadn't imagined it, the evidence was looking her right in the face and it had been real! So how was this happening?!

"You LAIR!" She cried and she began ripping out the pages and pages of his handwriting, tearing and shredding and ripping it apart.

She stopped, hearing a sound from outside the door and she looked up, a movement that caused a tear to stream down her cheek. She paused, watching the young woman who stood outside through the slice of glass embedded in the wood. Elizabeth stood for what seemed like hours, unable to breath and staring at the girl through the glass. The girl was frowning, her long hair plaited behind her like normal. _Normal…how could she be so normal?_

The girl pulled a sympathetic face, pressing her hand up against the glass, silently and without words asking if she could come inside. Elizabeth shook her head, her anger suddenly subsiding into grief as she looked at her friend and she began to sob as the notebook slid from her hands back down to the ground like some dead _thing_. The girl pushed through the door, coming to her rescue and holding onto her as she began to properly cry and they collapsed to the floor together.

"I'm sorry Lizzie, I'm so sorry…" but Elizabeth only continued to cry, unable to form any thoughts or words.

Martha felt her friend's pain and as she held her friend, she glanced over at the torn paper upon the floor and all she could do was curse him for being such a coward. Dauntless, faction of the fearless and the brave…yeah right. She swallowed, her eyes lacing over the samples of Eric's neat handwriting and finding her eyes fixing upon a quote he had written down many months ago in a class to apparently remember ' _Indeed — why should I not admit it? — In that moment, my heart was breaking._ '


	2. Chapter One

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter One

 _Seven years later_

He was smiling at her and this didn't exactly _bother_ her, but it was distracting when she was trying to read.

"Tyler." She said simply, her eyes not flicking up from the words, "What is it?" He said nothing until she finally looked up at him over the top of her book, her look quizzical.

"I just find it illogical that you aren't married." She frowned, staring at him before closing the book a little.

"…Why?"

"Because you're the most beautiful thing I've seen in the morning light." She had to stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"Tyler, has it occurred to you that maybe, just maybe, I don't require a husband?" Her tone was deadpanned; clearly irritated by a question he asked her more than twice a day.

"Oh come on," He drawled with a smirk.

"Surely telling your actual wife that she's ' _the most beautiful thing you've seen in the morning light_ ' would make much more sense?" he shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest and locking his jaw. She'd clearly hit a nerve.

"She's bored of me, I'd rather tell you."

"Let me give you some advice Tyler, stop leering over other women, especially your sister in law and give Clarissa your attention for more than five seconds because you want too…not because you have too."

"Bite me Liz." He scoffed angrily.

"Such an intellectual response as always."

"Look Lizzie, try being married for five years and then tell me that. You don't understand, you aren't tied down." She stared at him for a long moment before snapping her book shut with one hand and suddenly getting up and walking away from the table "…Hey…Hey! What did I say? Where are you going?" Tyler spluttered out, turning around in his chair to talk to her.

"To work Tyler. I'm going to work." She concluded with a sigh, picking up her navy fitted coat and pulling it over her dress before walking out of the apartment and leaving Tyler alone.

It was a beautifully sunny day, the sun was high and the sky was a cloudless deep powder blue and she found herself shaking off Tyler's comments and looking at the world around her.

She had changed in seven years, more than she thought even possible, becoming almost unrecognisable, no longer shy and quiet but confident and smart. But it wasn't just her personality, her features and body had evolved; no longer a girl awkward and confused but a woman of twenty-one, strong and beautiful and everything a young woman from Erudite should be.

She turned around a corner and in her daydream almost walking into a group of people. The first thing she recognised was black, the second was the tattoos, everywhere, the eyes of dauntless turned to look at her and she blinked, swallowing and suddenly feeling all the confidence she'd been feeling wash away like sand on a beach.

"Sorry," she mumbled, looking down and tucking a lose strand of hair behind her ear and diverting around them, but suddenly one blocked her path.

"Hey little lady, where you going?" she pushed everything in her to look at him, locking eyes with him challengingly. He was tall and dark, his eyes playful as he looked at her.

"To work. You're blocking my path, please move." Her tone was clipped and anxious and he pulled a face, presenting his hands up in surrender and stepping aside, she began to walk, hurriedly, glancing over her shoulder at the group that were talking and laughing, some glancing at her as she walked away.

"A scary lot if you ask me." She started, her head snapping up to the side and seeing the familiar face of Gregory falling into step with her. She let out a breath of relief, which became a large, beautiful smile.

"I know! We're supposed to feel safe with them around but they just make me feel on edge…" She exclaimed, suppressing a shudder.

"Well some aren't too bad, they are just very different people from us I guess. That's what the faction system is for." She nodded in agreement.

"Why are they here anyway?"

"I dunno, something to do with the factionless getting into the buildings night before last, you remember?" She nodded,

"I thought they didn't take anything?" They stopped just outside of the school building, a few of the children waving at her as they ran into school and she turned to him, her eyes alerting him that she wanted more information

"They didn't," he shrugged "But you know Janine is worried about divergents…factionless is full of them and they don't like us…it's just a matter of time before they try and attack innocent people…." He paused, looking at her and she frowned, clearly worried about the situation. Gregory at this point seemed to be thinking about something as he stared at her.

"What?"

"Doesn't matter," He said and smiled reassuringly at her "Have a good day alright?" He began walking away but after a few steps turned around to look at her again "…I'll see you later? After work?" She felt a small blush appear on her cheeks and smiled as she looked down at her shoes.

"Yes, I'd like that. Sevenish?" He nodded, a bashful smile playing on his lips before turning around and carrying on his way to the council chamber.

She liked Gregory, she really did, he was the type of guy that was good and kind and non-judgemental, a rare kind of man that would make you feel beautiful for the rest of your days. It was hard because she hadn't even wanted to think about being with anyone, everything that had happened had changed her and she hadn't wanted him to get caught up in it all, even though he'd so obviously wanted too…but recently she'd been feeling different, she'd been feeling good…and now maybe it was time, maybe it was time for her to begin again.

* * *

"Miss Elizabeth!" She turned being pulled out of her thoughts by the young girl who ran up to her happily with her work and she smiled, nodding

"Finished already? How extraordinary you are Rachel!" she let out a small, warm laugh and looked up at the rest of her class who were all hurriedly scribbling away at their desks.

She loved teaching, she'd known she'd wanted to be a teacher since she could remember, learning was and always had been a safe haven for her and it made her happy. Books also had this effect on her, but like most people in Erudite, that was just second nature.

The day had been incredibly normal and she was feeling her happy and carefree self; agreeing to cover a class for a friend, basking in the warmth of the sun at break time and thinking about what the evening would bring meeting Gregory.

Months later she thought that if she'd just ignored the knock at the class room door, hadn't looked up from the thirteen year old boy she was helping, hadn't been a good friend and said she'd cover that class on that day, had said that she was too busy and that she had too much marking to do, that nothing would have changed…everything would have stayed the same.

But she did look up. And she saw Aaron at the door and she smiled, beckoning him to come inside as she turned around to address the class and telling them to keep up the good work.

"Hey Aaron!"

"Hi, we've got a meeting after the children go home in about an hour, do you think you can make it? I know it's short notice but it's really important."

"Oh, yes of course. I just leave the marking I've got till afterward."

"That's great, I'll see you in a few."

The rest of the lesson went quickly and well and after she dismissed the class, she made her way to the hall, greeting staff and friends on the way, a babble of gossip on what the meeting was about in the air. Clearly all staff from the schools that focused on the plus 16's had been invited too and the room was full of a sea of different shades of blue, men and women from different age ranges all waiting.

They took their seats, and when it had quietened down, they watched as Aaron climbed the stairs of the auditorium and addressed them all.

"Colleagues, friends…as you know, a few nights ago we were broken into by members of the factionless," there was a mumble of recognition "now, I do not want you to be at all alarmed, but it has been brought to our attention by members of dauntless, that there is a significant security risk involving our pupils." He paused, the auditorium breaking out into worried whispers and mumblings, his eyes scanned the crowd "I want us all to welcome a guest onto the stage whose going to take us through the security risks and the plan of action for the next couple of weeks, thank you, Eric?" She heard the clapping, the round of applause as he took to the stage but her hands did not move or join in. Her eyes slammed into him as he strode across the platform, dressed head to toe in black and looking what she could only really describe as a completely different man. He was huge, built, muscular and athletic, so different from the slim, studious teenager she'd known. Black tattoos lined down his neck in heavy block patterns and she felt her mouth open a little in shock as she stared at him, suddenly feeling very, very cold.

"My name is Eric. I'm a dauntless leader and I'm here to outline to you the severity of the situation that you are now in." He paused, his dark, threatening eyes scanning the crowd "Our intelligence tells us your schools are being targeted as a plan to take some of the kids that the factionless think are divergent. Manipulating children is far easier than adults and this is why we cannot let this happen. Now you may be thinking, but why is this dangerous for me? Well let me tell you something, you are the only thing standing in the way of them and those kids and believe me I cannot stress this enough, they will shoot you, and they will kill you." He paused again, the whole room was silent and waiting, watching him "As a precaution, dauntless agents will be stationed around the schools and universities for your reassurance and safety. I would like to remind you that none of you are trained to handle situations of this magnitude, so if one does arise, you do what you can do until a dauntless agent arrives and takes over. I don't want any heroes in the room because one, you'll die and two, it looks bad on my end of year report." He stopped abruptly, glancing over at Aaron who nodded and they switched places, Eric walking back along the stage and down the stairs.

Aaron began speaking again, but his words didn't seem to be entering her head and when suddenly everyone began to move to leave, she swung up and out of her chair, almost half running for the exit and getting out of the auditorium.

She found herself back in the classroom before she even knew it, closing the door and turning around to look at the empty classroom and feeling physically sick. Everything in her was screaming, her heart felt as if it were constricting in her chest and she let out a breath, closing her eyes tight shut and putting a hand to her stomach.

"It'sgoingtobeokay." She whispered to herself quickly, barely stopping to take a breath before saying it again and again. She could feel the stitching that she'd reassembled herself with over the last few years suddenly start to come apart and she looked to the ceiling, hands on her waist trying to breath and stop herself from having a full blown panic attack.

But then, she stopped. Opening her eyes again and having a light bulb strike her brain. He didn't know she was here. He had no idea. So he didn't need to find out. As long as she avoided him, he'd never even know. Her heart ached at the thought of him being so close and not knowing she was there but she crushed down her feelings, refusing to acknowledge them. Because he could not find out. He just couldn't. She let out a calming breath, shutting everything she felt down as if it were a mere machine.

"No. I'm going on a date tonight."

* * *

It was almost strange how easily it came to her. Ignoring the situation was something she'd always been quite good at and it was almost as if she'd deleted everything that had previously happened from her mind. The next few days consisted of her assessing every dauntless guard when they came by, turning her face away at any opportunity where it could possibly be him. She missed him a few times, turning into a different corridor until he'd passed, glancing up at a notice board intently or turning into a staircase to avoid him. Each time the hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end as he passed as if the space between them was filled with electricity.

But mostly she carried on with her day-to-day life. Her date had gone surprisingly well and in fact Gregory had made for forget about the dauntless man who stood guard somewhere in the grounds and they'd agreed to meet again. Everything was going so well…but what Elizabeth had seemingly forgotten was that Eric was not a stupid man and he was not completely unaware of his surroundings…and that her photograph was up in the lobby.

* * *

"Hey Liz," She smiled looking up from the coffee machine at Lacey who smiled warmly at her,

"Hey! How've you been?"

"Great thanks! Apart from our dauntless counter parts being around…I think it's starting to freak the kids out…"

"I know what you mean…but hopefully it'll be done after a few weeks once the threat has subsided." Lacey nodded, a small frown written on her features.

"Oh! Yeah, I was going to ask actually, are you getting your picture redone?" Elizabeth let out a laugh and frowned

"Haha no why!?" she exclaimed, fumbling with the coffee machine that just never worked.

"Well, it's just that it's gone from the lobby and I was wondering if you'd decided to get it redone."

"Uh…no…" she paused, frowning as she looked at the coffee machine.

"Hm…maybe it was one of the kids or it fell down or something."

"Yeah…maybe…" but she was half way out the door before she could finish talking and she heard Lacey say her name as she exited, clearly confused about where she was going.

She entered the classroom with such purpose and she stood for a moment, staring at him as he sat on the edge of her desk, watching her.

"What, you thought I wouldn't eventually find out you worked here?" Her eyes found his but she said nothing. The silence fell between them like an actual physical object. It continued like this for a moment before he pushed himself off of the desk and slowly began to walk around the room, glancing at the board and reading the title 'The formations of the factions' upon it.

"I'm surprised you didn't teach literature." He looked over his shoulder at her and when she didn't respond, walked towards her but she moved across the classroom to be as far from him as possible.

"I lost my taste for it." She could feel his eyes training her as she moved and felt her mouth suddenly go dry, finding it very hard to swallow.

"Why history?" She stopped by the window, looking up and out of the glass.

"History is simple. It's already dead and buried, you can't change it, you can only look back upon it with a critical eye and assess what really happened and the decisions made by what people, to come to that conclusion." He said nothing in response and after a silence filled minute she looked over her shoulder. He was leaning on one of the desks watching her, his eyes piercing and almost predator like. She cleared her throat "But seems I'm not the only one who changed, you're a lot bigger than I remember." He raised an eyebrow "And there's a lot more…" she paused awkwardly gesturing to his face with a circular motion of her hand "…metal…and such." He only smiled coolly, his eyes not giving anything away; his arms crossed casually over his chest making them look even bigger than they did when she'd first seen him.

"Bigger…well, I have to do a lot of running around…and such." He was mocking her. She pursed her lips, her cheeks burning red hot.

"Stop laughing at me." She said bluntly, he raised both eyebrows, pressing his lips together before pretending to frown.

"Oh I wouldn't _dare_ -" she walked towards him swiftly, locking eyes with him, her hands by her side in fists.

"Stop it." She snapped and he raised an eyebrow once more, a grin splitting over his face as he stood up to his full height, towering above her and watching her curl into herself at his sheer intimidating mass.

"Don't make me seem so ungallant…" He said tutting, closing the gap between them in one step. They were so close that she could feel the heat from his skin.

" _Seem_ ungallant? _Really_?" she let out a laugh in sheer shock at his absurdity, bringing her palm to her forehead before she shook her head at the ridiculousness of this situation "Tell me what you have to say Eric, and then just go."

"Why didn't you tell me you were here Beth?"

"Don't call me that." She said bluntly, her eyes locked upon his.

"Answer the question." He said calmly with a nod, his eyes betrayed him though, they were bright and wild, sparked with anger.

"I haven't got anything to say," she replied shaking her head.

"The last time we met you had plenty..."

"I was seventeen-!" she spat angrily suddenly stopping herself and closing her eyes "No. No, i'm not doing this. I'm not becoming this person again-!" She half laughed in frustration and amazement that he could still do this to her and turned around so that she didn't have to look at him.

"Beth-" He began calmly but she rounded on him suddenly shouting

"STOP!" Her eyes were wide and angry, her hands up and fingers splayed out as if he was driving her crazy "You don't get to call me that anymore!" He fixed her with a look, almost as if he was unimpressed with her reaction.

"I'm still waiting for you to answer my question."

"Well you'll be waiting a long fucking time!" She snarled "You can stay the hell away from me." She growled, her voice low and dark, pointing an accusing finger at him "I don't want you near me ever again." She moved; weaving in and out of the desks and throwing the door open to leave. He stood, his quick mind assessing and calculating everything that had just happened and coming to the conclusion that he had been correct.

* * *

 **Hi everyone! So, sorry if it started out a bit slow but it's going to start getting interesting and you're going to start seeing parts of their relationship puzzle fit together. I'm excited! I hope you like what i've done so far. Thanks :).**


	3. Chapter Two

**I usually don't update this much in such a short amount of time but hey, i'm inspired, why the hell not. Anyway, i was listening to Skylar Grey's version of love the way you lie when i was writing this so if you like music with your reading, listen to that while you are.** **watch?v=V1YnXPTk7WU**

* * *

 **The Weariest of Bones**

 **Chapter Two**

All she could think about was getting to him. Running so hard and so fast that she didn't care who saw her or what they thought. She was frightened, more frightened than she thought possible. The difference in fear when Eric had left and now, was staggering and it was suffocating her as if she were drowning. Her world had changed so much since he'd left and now it felt as if it were coming full circle. Maybe she was naïve to believe he'd never find out, to think she'd live the rest of her life in peace and repair the damage he'd caused with new people and old friends who'd remained true. As she ran it seemed to make her remember the last night she'd seen Eric, her feet drumming across the concrete streets that were slowly darkening with the last of the rays of the sun.

She'd been seventeen and in a fit of madness travelled to dauntless a full year and a month after he'd left, almost getting herself shot as a member of the factionless. He'd been told straight away and after being arrested and released, she'd been taken to his room to suffer the consequences.

She could remember that night as if it were yesterday.

* * *

 _She was sat in the centre of his bed when he returned, he stood for a moment looking at her and there was such an anger behind him that she had to look away, leaning her head on her knees and wrapping her arms around herself. She was ashamed of herself, she'd let her jealousy get the better of her and even worse, she'd let her feelings get the better of her._

 _"What did you think you were doing." He said finally and she found herself drawing up and into herself as if it would make his words stop. "Are you listening?" He snapped, his voice louder and she closed her eyes for a moment, frowning gently as she said nothing, still refusing to look at him._

 _"How the fuck did you think this would pan out huh?" He moved across the room towards the bed, "You could have ended up DEAD. And all because…all because of some stupid! Idiotic, teenage fantasy!" He leaned down on the bed, his large hands holding him up, level with her, his eyes eating into her soul "And what? You thought I'd just be happy to see you?!" he finished, his words cutting deep, she closed her eyes, letting a tear loose as it absorbed into the material of her jumper._

 _"SPIT IT OUT BETH!" He thundered and she suddenly got up, walking from the bed and almost running for the door but he caught her arm, his hand gripping onto her wrist and forcing her to turn to look at him but surprising she brought her other hand up and sent a right hook into his jaw._

 _He suddenly had her by the throat, lifting her fully off the ground, his eyes dark and dangerous and she gasped for breath, amazed that he was even doing this and that she was letting it happen._

 _She grabbed onto his wrist, trying to support herself and feeling as if he was going to break her neck._

 _She struggled against him, making a sound of anger mixed with fear as he looked at her and she could feel how much he enjoyed the power he had over her, the strength in him compared to her 'feeble female body'._

 _"Now, you're gonna listen to me like it or not-" But with the rage that built inside from now to when he'd left, she swung forward, landing a strong kick hard in his chest and causing him to drop her and crash into the ground, as he himself found himself on one knee, completely winded._

 _She gasped for air, suddenly able to breathe again and coughing violently due to the sudden oxygen and decided incredibly quickly that she had to move but achingly slowly rolled over onto her knees to begin crawling away. She felt a sudden surge of dread as he grabbed onto her ankle, easily pulling her back towards him across the wooden floor as she yelped and scrabbled with her nails to try to hold onto something._

 _He shook his head, breathing carefully and wincing "You think I'll be ignored huh?" He moved, dragging her again as she rolled over to face him, now completely under his body, his face inches from her own, kneeling over her with one hand either side of her head. "I mean what? Do you? Because I'm trying to understand how much of an idiot you really are."_

 _"Get off of me!" She cried, panicking as tears seared in her eyes and she forcefully threw her hands upwards into his chest to try and push him off but he was hard as a rock and didn't budge. He was staring at her then, his dark eyes burrowing into hers as they both breathed harshly, trying to regain themselves. "Please!" she cried, "Get off!" but something in him changed, something in his eyes evolved as he looked at her, poised above her like an animal and suddenly and without warning diving down, his hand under her neck and bringing her face up to meet his and he kissed her, hurriedly and with such wanting that she wasn't quite sure how to respond. It was frightening her how strong he was and she made a sound of protest but he suddenly moved, his lips kissing along her jaw bone and down her neck, his lips kissing every place that seemed to be aching from his rough hands._

 _"Why are you here?" He breathed between kisses "Are you here to torture me? Haunt me?" She tried to speak but couldn't find words, instead she was just crying, ashamed at how much she wanted him to be near her, to hold her so close as if they might be enveloped by one another and never be parted again. "You can't be." He said, suddenly sitting up, his hands going to the zip on her skirt and pulling it down with such force he almost ripped it. She gasped, jumping as she looked up at him and he smirked, that eyes narrowed, knowing smirk that she'd adored for so many years._

 _He moved, standing up and then reached down, pulling her into his arms so that she was standing, her skirt falling from her waist and to the floor as he walked her backwards, kissing her and hardly letting her breathe let alone think. Her skirt was next, almost ripped from her and this time she took control, as soon as it was pulled over her head she dived at him, capturing his face in her hands and kissing him searingly, biting down hard on his lip and he smiled, pulling away only to push her backwards onto the bed as he pulled his t-shirt from his torso. She swallowed seeing his toned physic and actually felt her breath audibly catch in her throat, which he heard, earning her a smirk._

 _"What? You like what you see Beth?" She swallowed, blushing madly as she eyed him and he leaned forwards, gasping her hips and pulling her down the bed towards him. She was breathing hard, caught up in emotion. He was kneeling by the bed in only his trousers and belt and he had her legs apart in front of him, his fingers wrapping around the material of her underwear and pulling them away and off. She felt heat rising in her and breathed quickly, letting out a sound as he touched her thighs, pressing his lips against the skin of them and slowly working his way up, his eyes locking onto hers before he softly blew and she tensed, her head going backwards as she arched her back, her hands fisting on the sheets and she could feel his smile._

 _"Having this effect on you is glorious, do you know that?" She bit her lip, suddenly shaking her head, this was all too much, and swinging her legs over the top of his head and off of the bed, sitting up and trying to get up, but he was fast, faster than her, and he grabbed her around the waist pulling her down onto his lap and hushing her as she tensed, closing her eyes._

 _"shh-shh-shh," and he pressed a kiss to her shoulder, inhaling her scent as he kissed her jaw bone. She felt his fingers sliding off the material of her bra, inhaling sharply as he unclasped it. "It's just me Beth…it's just me and you…" and she closed her eyes, frowning gently as she was lost in him, feeling sad and as if she were burning from the inside out, her fingers digging into his legs. "You came here right?" He whispered, his voice intoxicating to her as she reached around him, her hand on the back of his neck but then his hand went south and she gasped clamping her legs together but he only let out a low playful laugh, "Beth…" and she felt him move his hand gloriously against her and she gritted her teeth, hating herself but as she felt tears running down her face she shut herself down and she let him in._

* * *

 _She woke in the morning, her whole body ached. She wondered what had awoken her but when she sat up, her hair falling past her naked back she found her eyes on the man standing in the bathroom. Dread came over her as she looked at him, it was almost as if she knew what was going to happen and she felt tears building in her eyes as she watched him dressing, seeing him pulling the black clothing over his skin, dressing himself in what he thought he was, who he thought he was supposed to be._

 _He must have felt her eyes upon him because he turned his head to look at her, their eyes connecting for a second before he looked away, turning off the tap and drying his hands. He walked from the bathroom, over the wooden floorboards and standing in front of the bed. He said nothing for a moment, not even looking at her._

 _"I'll get someone to take you back." His voice was cold and precise, she closed her eyes, she'd been expecting it but it had still hurt. She shook her head,_

 _"Don't bother." He was looking at her now but she refused to give him the same courtesy. The silence between them was deafening and as he turned, walking out of the room he didn't even look back and as she began to cry, wrapped up in sheets that smelt like him, she felt as if she were bleeding out._

* * *

She had had every intention of telling him, every intention of telling him what had happened but after his coldness, after his callous and cruel behaviour she'd run a mile. He didn't deserve to know, he didn't deserve anything, he'd never loved her, not really, he'd used her to become a man and in the process become a cruel and hurtful individual with no regard for anyone else's feelings.

She'd truly meant it when she'd told him to stay away. He drove her into a dark place that was evil and made her into someone she never intended to be. He frightened her, his intensity and depth made her feel as if she were falling into an abyss and however long she was parted from him, she felt the same every time, if anything, time only seemed to make it worse.

As she rounded the corner of the apartment complex, she took a moment to look up at it, knowing what was waiting for her upstairs and felt a push of determination within her that had only come after…

She opened the door, not bothering to close it behind her as she called out his name and walked into the kitchen, seeing her sister, Clarissa holding her youngest child, and Tyler at the table helping the other three children with their homework. She said his name again and he raised his head, looking up in her direction and she saw a wonderful smile split over his face as he shrieked,

"MOM!" With all the happiness only a child could manage and he pushed himself off the chair from the table and sprinted towards her, throwing himself into her arms as she wrapped her own around him, lifting him fully off of the ground and holding him so tightly.

For Elizabeth knew love, she knew love that was more than Eric could ever give her and as she looked at him and saw the eyes of the man she'd just been shouting at, she felt an overwhelming need to protect him from his own father, because God only knew what Eric would do if he ever found out, but she knew the last thing she wanted was Eric anywhere near her son.


	4. Chapter Three

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Three

"I really don't think I need self defence classes." She groaned, inwardly screaming at Aaron to stop making her life harder.

"It's a precaution, it was suggested that the staff take them-"

"By who?!"

"Members of dauntless…look, it's just to make sure everyone safe, it's good for you to learn at a time like this…it's so unsettled at the moment Lizzy."

"I know…I know…" she sighed, exhaling and closing her eyes, her hand on her forehead before shrugging exasperatedly "fine, I'll be there."

"Great! I'll put your name down." He turned to leave but suddenly paused and turned to her "Lizzy is everything okay? Luke okay?"

"Lucas is fine, thank you, honestly it's just been a…eventful week."

"I know, it's stressful, remember if you need any help with Luke, just talk to me and we'll sort some stuff out."

"Thank you Aaron, I appreciate it." Elizabeth watched him go, feeling breath build suddenly in her chest and despite wanting to remain strong she felt herself sink down, her back against the wall and her head in her hands.

* * *

She was determined she wasn't going to go. She wasn't going to go anywhere near it. This was the only way she could honestly think about how to avoid it, saying she was doing work in her classroom and it just slipped her mind. Her thoughts were racing and she was making herself sick with worry, anxious and tormenting herself by thinking alone. She cleared her throat, standing up on a chair and beginning to fix the display she'd chosen for her reason for forgetting. When she heard her door open she closed her eyes in dread, looking over her shoulder waiting to see Aaron and instead, to her utter surprise and dread seeing Eric.

She almost fell off of the chair, it wobbling dangerously as she let out a squeak of fear before forcibly grabbing onto it.

"Beth…"

"What?!" She snapped, not even looking up at him as she tried to steady herself again, her legs feeling like jelly.

"Let's go."

"Go where?" She snapped again, this time looking at him and he raised an eyebrow, letting out a audible sigh.

"You know where."

"It's not even time yet, I'll be there in a minute-"

"No." He said shaking his head and crossing his arms over his chest "I know you. If I don't get you now, you won't come." She paled considerably. "Get down."

"Eric you can't order me abou-"

"Now." He ordered, she blinked, cursing to herself and stepping down carefully from the chair and covering the distance between them so she was now by the door.

"This is ridiculous. I am not a child!" He suddenly stepped very close to her, his body almost touching hers and she took in a sharp breath, looking up at him with wide eyes and feeling her back against the doorframe.

"I need you to remember something. You need these classes because you need the best chances at defending yourself as possible. I am tired of having to see people being scrapped off of the streets just because they didn't know how to fight back and I swear to God you will not be one of them, even if I have to drag you there myself, lets go." He finished abruptly, stepping slightly to the left. She stood for a moment, calming herself down before pulling away from the door and storming towards the gym, he kept step behind her, almost as if he were a guard.

They entered the hall, the small group of people glancing at them as they came in before going back to their conversations. She shrank into herself, swallowing nervously and feeling herself tense.

"None of them know." She drew in a quick breath, hearing his low voice as he brushed past her, his hand on her waist for a moment, slightly pressuring her forward before his finger tips slid from her as he walked around to the front of the group.

She knew he was referring to them. And it was true, none of them knew about her and Eric, hardly anyone living did, only her sister, Tyler and Martha knew. There were times, like this, when everyone looked at her suddenly that she, in a moment of anxiety, immediately believed that everyone knew, which rationally she knew was impossible but the mind is a strange thing.

"Everyone, thank you for participating in this, I'm Eric, as you know, this is Lora and Ed, they work along side me in Dauntless, we're here to teach you basic self defence so that if a dangerous situation does arise, you'll be able to at least attempt to protect yourself and the others around you." He paused, his eyes hovering on her for a split second but it felt like a lifetime to her.

She was doing that face she pulled that he hated and she knew it, it was one where it looked like she was thinking extremely hard about something and was contemplating leaving.

"Right, Ed and Lora are going to stand at the front and demonstrate the moves, were going to pair you up, we've got an odd number, everyone turn to the person next to you except, the smallest here, you," She looked up, cutting herself out of her thoughts to see Eric looking at her "You. You're coming with me," She swallowed, inwardly groaning as she pursed her lips, glaring at him and telling him to stop but he quirked an eyebrow, moving to a space further away as everyone paired off with someone, no one noticing the silent screaming match they'd just had with one another.

With each step she felt colder, finally coming to stand in front of him, her arms crossed defensively over her chest.

"Ladies," He suddenly said, his voice cutting across the room "Take off your heels, it's going to be easier for you to learn without them." He turned his attention to her, his eyes scaling down her body before reaching her shoes before flicking back up to her and arching an eyebrow. She gritted her teeth, closing her eyes. She knew what he was doing, he was trying to intimidate her, make her feel small and by making her take her shoes off he was going to damn well succeed. Before she knew it he had crouched down, lifting her leg up and almost causing her to fall over so she had to grab onto his broad shoulders.

"What are you doing?!" She hissed

"Taking these off, you were just standing there." She made a sound of annoyance as he slipped his hand around her ankle and carefully pulled her foot from her shoe and then doing the same with the other one, placing them to the side before standing back up, Elizabeth now a very substantial amount shorter than him.

"Right, now, the smallest of your pair, we need you to understand your own strength, so starting with you, we want the other to hold out his or her hands and let the other one push as hard as they can, smaller, your goal is to try and push the other over." The pairs nodded mumming in agreement. Elizabeth turned to look at him and he at her,

"Why are you doing this?" She asked quietly but he put his hands out,

"Push me."

"No."

"Now Beth." She swallowed, sighing gently before stepping forwards and placing her hands against his. She took in a breath, wanting automatically to take her hands away from his.

"Right, now, everyone, push as hard as you can." Elizabeth tried, shoving all her weight into the mountain that stood before her. Of course she knew it would do nothing to him but it actually felt like a great stress reliever to try. Eric however, didn't see it like that,

"You need to be stronger than this…"

"I'm stronger than you can possibly imagine." She growled before changing her stance and shoving her palms into his chest, causing him to stumble backwards.

"Good! In the back there! You pushed our leader, always something that says you have a total death wish but a lot of balls!" Both Eric and Elizabeth looked towards Ed who was nodding with a smile and a thumbs up until he looked at Eric who was glaring at him and awkwardly cleared his throat to move on.

The rest of the class moved on, practising different moves, mostly Eric just made her do the things twice seeing as he knew what he was doing.

"Right, now you have your hands on their shoulders, arms out fully and locked to stop them from coming closer to you, kick them anywhere, really hard. Obviously don't actually kick your opponent right now really hard." Her eyes flicked to his, her fingers digging into his shoulders and despite herself she threw her foot into Eric's leg hard. He hissed in pain, having not expected it and grabbed onto her to steady himself,

"F-uck!" He hissed at her, his eyes suddenly alight "Oh your going to wish you hadn't done that." She didn't reply, only prying herself out of his arms.

She couldn't lie and say she didn't enjoy kicking him really hard in the shin. It wasn't as if he didn't deserve it. It got to the end of the lesson and the last move. Eric hadn't really spoken a word to her unless it was to do with what she was learning and mostly sort of just ignored her for the rest of it, which made it easier to concentrate on actually learning what she needed too.

"Okay, the next thing we're going to try is counter attacking your opponent when they come at you from behind, first person turn your back to the second," She swallowed nervously, looking at him, everything else she'd been able to see coming, turning her back to him set her on edge. He quirked an eyebrow, smirking evilly as he gestured for her to turn around, obviously waiting and she shook herself mentally, turning around but not before looking over her shoulder to see exactly where he was standing.

She exhaled, fisting her hands together nervously by her sides.

"Second person, we want you to attack, try to not actually hurt your partner but do try actually getting them onto the floor this time so they know what it actually feels like to be overpowered, firsts, get ready and try and fight back." Before she even had time to breathe she felt him grab her and she yelped, being forced to the floor as he climbed on top of her across her waist, his hands gripping onto her wrists and pushing them into the floor. He smiled, a sly knowing smile

"…doesn't this feel familiar."

"get off." She said, her face was pale and she was shaking, when he didn't move she cried "Now!" He moved, letting go of her and she scrambled up, throwing her hands into the gym doors and leaving.

She had gotten half way down the corridor when she heard him say her name, she continued trying to run, almost sipping over in her tights on the hallway floor but he caught her, catching her wrist and hauling her back towards him, his other arm around her waist.

"It's important that you learn this."

"What's the point?!" She fired back, tears in her eyes as she tried to push him in the chest but he was hard as a rock "You've just shown me how much stronger men like you are than me! I won't stand a chance!"

"And so what? You're just going to give up because you're scared?"

"I'm not like you! I never was!"

"You're stronger than this!"

"NO I'M NOT!" She shouted, her voice so loud that he let go of her and she turned away from him, her hands in her hair "Is that what you thought?" She asked, turning back around, her eyes wide with anger as she finally confronted him "that I'm strong? That I could cope with it? Well I couldn't and it fucking hurt Eric! And do you know what hurts more? The fact that you don't even fucking care!" She let out a bitter, unbelieving laugh shaking her head "You're exactly what I never thought you'd be! Why don't you care?! How was it so easy for you to leave? Why did you think that I'd be okay? Why? How could you possibly believe I'd be fine with that?! You were everything to me and you didn't even say goodbye!" she paused for breath, gasping as if she'd regained a part of herself "And that night? The night I came to dauntless?" she whispered, stepping towards him, his face a blank as he watched her silently and she had tears in her eyes, angry and betrayed "Was it just a game to you? Why am I even asking, I already know the answer…I already know that you never cared…what was I really expecting..?" She shook her head, "Well I won't let you do this to me again…maybe I am strong. Maybe I am stronger than everyone thinks." And with that she turned on her heel and began to walk away but he grabbed onto her wrist, hauling her back again.

"This has absolutely nothing to do with me and you. The fact of the matter is, your letting your emotions get in the way of what you need to learn which is self defence. Your a small, weak woman Beth-"

"How dare you!" She exclaimed cutting him off but he growled slightly in annoyance, grabbing her other wrist and forcing her into the wall.

"STOP BEING A STUBBORN FOOL!" he shouted so loudly that she jumped "You are letting your anger at me cloud your judgement! Yeah, I don't give a fuck, does that make you feel better? That I don't care about you? And that's why it was so easy for me to leave? Is that what you want me to say? GET. OVER. IT. We were kids, it was nothing more than a immature relationship that you were infatuated with!"

She hit him. Punching him full force in the face.

"Fuck you! Fuck you for manipulating my feelings! Believe me, i've known for years that it meant fuck all to you, that I was just an easy lay whenever you accidentally bumped into me! I already know that! Fuck you, you're an asshole! I won't be a notch in your bedpost ever again and I hope you suffer because of your cruelty because that's what you are Eric! You aren't brave, you aren't strong, you're cruel and you're cold and I have realised how much of a mistake you were!" The silence that fell between them was filled with resentment and anger and when he finally let her go, walking away back towards the gym, she herself turned in the opposite direction and walked the other way.

* * *

She didn't see Eric for the next two weeks, apparently she'd finally told him and it had made him realise he'd never get her into bed again. Her anger over turned anything else she might be feeling and she was ripped and raw by his verbal confirmation that he didn't care. He didn't care and she'd always known that but hearing him say it had still hurt.

It was after school hours as she sat in the empty classroom marking, books piled on her desk, her head in her hand as she concentrated. It was the shadow that passed her window that made her look up. She stilled for a moment, wondering if it were one of dauntless doing their patrol. But something told her otherwise, something told her something wasn't right. She moved, walking to the window and looking outisde. A group of people stood near by the entrance of the school, they were dressed in strange clothing that she didn't recognise and automatically she knew she had to tell someone. She moved, walking down from her classroom to the room the dauntless agents had set themselves up in and without even knocking, walked in.

He looked up as she entered and their eyes locked on one another

"What do you want?" His tone was administrative, precise and professional, cold even.

"There's a group of people outside...I don't recognise their clothes."

"Did they look like a threat?" He asked raising his eyebrow and she knew he was thinking she was over reacting. The words that had passed between them the other week still hung in the air.

"Uh...I don't know, could you just go and take a look please? They are at the front of the school."

"And why should I do that?" He asked leaning forwards on the desk he stood by "When, as you told me, I don't care?" He pulled a face with a shrug.

"Can you just go and make sure please?" He was staring at her with cold eyes and she suddenly felt extremely self-conscious as if he could see straight through her.

"…fine." He said mock light-heartedly, raising an eyebrow and slinking past her with an arrogant swagger.

She swallowed, sighing gently before her eyes flicked up to the other two dauntless members in the room who were watching her suspiciously before she quickly turned around to follow him. She stayed behind him as he walked, her arms wrapped around herself as she silently followed.

He'd stopped in the lobby when she rounded the corner, stopping in front of the window as she looked through the glass doors to the outside world.

Suddenly and without warning the window next to her exploded in a rain of bullets and she screamed, throwing her hands above her head and crouching down to try and protect herself. She looked up suddenly to see Eric staring at her; his eyes were wide as he just stared at her in what seemed to be frozen shock. But he had no time to say anything as another stream of bullets shattered the glass doors by him and he moved, throwing himself against the reinforced wall by the doors for protection and he had to turn his face away in order to protect it.

When the bullets stopped he barked something she didn't quite hear and she crawled on her hands and knees to the wall, trying to still her thumping heart and hiding herself from whoever was out there. Suddenly the once a window, now hole in the wall by her was targeted again and she screamed once more pressing herself against the brickwork and waiting for it to pass. When she opened her eyes again, breathing harshly she turned her face up to look him. Eric's face had completely drained of all colour and when she turned she suddenly knew why. The wall beside her was full of holes, one only a millimetre from where her head was and she realised, like she'd been struck by lightening, that if they shot her way again, she'd be instantly killed.

"BETH!" She snapped her attention back to him, her chest heaving, "I need you to run! Now!"

"Where?!"

"HERE DAMN IT!" He snarled and she gasped for breath, her hands in fists and shaking her head.

"I can't!" She exclaimed

"If I have to come and GET YOU, I'm going to be PISSED OFF!" He yelled and she closed her eyes summoning all the strength within her "NOW BETH!" And with his angry yell she let out a sound of terrified frustration and pushed herself upward and forwards, sprinting towards where Eric stood behind the reinforced wall. As she ran they opened fired once more and she screamed in terror, her muscles screaming in protest as she made them move into hyper drive and she didn't even notice a hand grab onto her arm and haul her into him, holding onto her and then forcing her against the wall, his body against hers. She was breathing hard as he was looking past her, around the wall at the enemy, his eyes dark glinting with anger.

"Eric!" she said his name but he only growled "Shut up!" at her and she did as she was told, trying to still her breathing but that didn't work very well. He was listening, his careful hearing picking out whatever he could and she was watching him, focusing all her energy on the line of his jaw before closing her eyes and trying to steady her breathing. When another trail of fire slammed into the wall behind her she could feel the vibrations, the bullets speeding past through the smashed glass doors. He pushed his body into hers, his shoulder digging into the wall and she found her hand on his chest, her forehead against him. The bullets stopped again and she gasped, panicking as he pulled away slightly, realisation hitting her that he'd been shielding her from the side of the bullets entering the door. She looked at his arm seeing blood streaming down it and let out a sound of confusion, frowning violently as she almost began to cry, her hand went to his arm but he shook his head.

"Shh-shh-shh-it's okay." He said quickly, his hand on her neck and cheek, his thumb against her cheekbone "It's okay, it was just a graze, I'm fine." He reassured her, she could feel his heart speeding in his chest, his body still so close to hers, not that she cared, right now having Eric close made her feel safer than anything else in the whole of the world could make her feel. She didn't even bother trying to restrain herself; instead she pressed her forehead against his chest, trying to breathe.

"Listen to me." She heard him say lowly in her ear "I need you to stay here behind this wall because it's safe. I'm going to go out-" She cut him off by hissing

"No!" At him with such furiously that he stopped for a moment. She shook her head, grabbing onto the collar of his jacket, her eyes flashing with anger "Are you crazy?! Don't you _dare_!"

"Okay, not that is isn't sweet that you care about whether I live or die but," He paused locking eyes with her, his voice switching from deadpan "This is my job. This is what I do. Look," And she turned her head to where he was looking to see other dauntless agents creeping around the corner, guns drawn, looking at him for orders. "This is why I'm here. You know that…I haven't been yours to worry about for a very long time…let me do my job." She swallowed, her frown softening slightly at the truth of his words and she realised suddenly as she let go of his jacket that they were not sixteen, they were older, he wasn't some skinny guy from Erudite, he was a leader of dauntless, huge and strong and trained to be in this exact situation and he was right…he wasn't hers to keep safe.

She nodded but he'd already started signalling to the other members of dauntless, telling them what to do. But then that suddenly seemed to be over and he turned his attention back onto her and she swallowed, her eyes looking up at him,

"You. Stay, HERE." He said indignantly, his terrifying eyes warning her what he'd do if she moved but she nodded, closing her eyes and suddenly feeling his presence go.

The shots that began made her flinch and she found herself sliding down the wall, her hands over her ears, trying to block it out. All she could think about was blood and people dying. Who would be doing this? What kind of sick person would be shooting at a school? She just thanked God that all the kids had gone home and were safe from all of this. For a long moment she thought about Lucas and her heart burned horribly at the thought of not seeing him again.

* * *

She was staring into the dark, murky liquid in her paper coffee cup as she sat in the oddly clean ER, the events of the last hour were playing on her mind, replaying again and again and again. She felt odd, her body tired and as if it wasn't her own. She closed her eyes, the only thing in her minds eye being the blood, the sheer amount of it had been sickening. They'd moved everyone else onto the hospital, she'd been checked over quite quickly having finally convincing the doctor that she was fine, and now she sat, unsure of what to do with herself. She'd not seen Eric since he'd left her, not that she was surprised, he was probably busy being important somewhere.

For such a terrifying, life altering event, it had been so quick, the gun fight had lasted all but twenty minutes maximum.

"Oh my god!" She looked up at the voice seeing Martha suddenly running the length of the corridor towards her, right behind her was Gregory. Martha crashed into her as she stood up, engulfed her in hugging arms and being examined to make sure she was okay and that she was really there.

"Are you okay?!" Martha asked, she'd obviously been crying and Elizabeth nodded, smiling weakly at her.

"Yes," she said breathlessly, "Where's Lucas?"

"He's at home with your sister, don't worry he's totally fine, asleep, doesn't know what happened."

"Good, I don't want him to be scared..." She trailed off, looking to the floor, Martha suddenly moved out of the way and replaced by Gregory who smiled a little but with a frowning as she looked up at him.

"I'm fine," she whispered and he nodded, his eyes diverted to the floor, unsure about what to say. Her heart lurched thinking about how wonderful the man that stood in front of her was and she stepped forwards, embracing him and she felt him exhale in relief, as if he'd been holding it since he heard of the shooting. He gripped onto her, his nose burying in her hair and inhaling her scent as if she were the best thing on earth. "Come on...lets get you home..." She nodded into his chest, sighing gently as he wrapped an arm around her waist and she laid her head on his shoulder and all three of them began to walk out.

Elizabeth wasn't really paying attention to her surroundings when the doctor ran past them, almost running into them and apologising as he whipped into another room, she glanced up, looking through the window and feeling as if her heart had fallen through her stomach.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed as she untangled herself from Gregory's arms and pressed her hands to the glass of the window "What?! No! He was fine!" Her voice broke horribly as she felt tears searing in her eyes .

Eric was laying facedown on a table, his bare back exposed and his shirt having been cut away from him. He'd been shot, the bullet holes puncturing his flesh as if he were nothing more than a piece of meat. There was blood everywhere. She moved quickly, throwing the doors to the operating room open and running to the side of the table.

"What's happening! Hey!" she was shouting at the nursing staff as they ignored her, talking to one another about what they were doing.

"Liz!" She didn't even look at Gregory as he grabbed her around the waist,

"No!" She shrieked, her hands gripping onto the table "Tell me what's going on!" and she was crying, clearly distressed as she looked down at his back and once again, was hit by another bomb shell. His back was covered in tattoos, the ink being hidden by the semi dried blood all over his skin but one tattoo in particular stood out, away from all the rest and just under the back of his left shoulder blade; above where his heart would be, simply said the word 'Beth'.

She stared at it; her mind traveling at thirty miles a minute and a deafening silence descending upon her.

 _"What..?"_ Her voice seemed to have turned into a squeaking, pitiful mess "No!" She exclaimed looking at Gregory over her shoulder "Why does he have that?" And her breath faulted as she sobbed "But he doesn't love me!" her knuckles white as she clung onto the bed. She could hear Gregory talking to her over her shoulder but he words weren't going through and as he began to prize her hands off of the bed frame with the help of another doctor she began to shout, telling him to let go but Gregory only lifted her fully up off of the ground, forcibly carrying her from the room.

* * *

 **Thanks so much for the really positive reviews guys! They really do help because they make you as the writer realise what you are doing right and wrong. I know that it might seem a little confusing and what's going on might seem a little ambiguous right now, but it will all become clear as the story progresses, honest :) Don't hesitate to ask any questions though.**


	5. Chapter Four

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Four

 _Six months ago_

 _"_ _How is she?" He asked facing the window as he looked out at the rain through her tinted office window._

 _"_ _Who?" She questioned, looking up from the draw she'd just shut._

 _"_ _Come on Janine." He replied, his arms tensed, crossed against his chest._

 _"_ _Oh…right…" She paused, watching him "Elizabeth…" He could hear the sly smile in her voice "You know…you could have her if you really wanted her. There is no rule against being with someone from another faction…"_

 _"_ _No." He looked at her in the reflection of the window "No that's not what I want."_

 _"_ _Oh I think it probably is," she said with a small charming laugh._

 _"_ _No." He said again shaking his head "She's a distraction that I can't afford." He turned then, his cold eyes on the blonde woman sitting behind the desk. "But you know what the deal was."_

 _"_ _Indeed." He watched her turn to her computer, tapping onto her keyboard. "She's got a job as a teacher, she's doing well, seems happy, her depression," she paused, looking up at Eric whose jaw locked as he looked towards the floor "Seems to be under control. In other words Eric she seems fine." He nodded._

 _"_ _Good." Janine looked at him for a moment, taking off her glasses, "I can't help but notice…that, although you say she isn't a distraction, she very much is."_

 _"…_ _Imagine what I'd be like if we were together." He replied bluntly and Janine considered this._

 _"_ _Fair enough."_

* * *

She couldn't let go of her son. She was confused and quite frankly scared and in shock and all she wanted to do was hug her baby. Lucas though, ever the hero of Elizabeth's life, was completely fine with sitting in his mothers arms in a tight embrace. Martha and her sister were having a whispered conversation in the kitchen and she knew it was about her. But she didn't care. She sighed gently, closing her eyes and leaning back on the sofa. Lucas moved, sitting back against the sofa and turning his face to look at her.

"Are you okay mom?" she smiled warmly, her fingers going to tuck his hair behind his ear, it was getting very long and she needed to take him to get it cut.

"I'm okay." She said reassuringly and he smiled but she got the feeling he didn't quite believe her. "You know I love you very much don't you?" She whispered and he nodded,

"Yep."

"…Luke…how come you've never asked me about your dad?" The six year old looked at her for a long moment before sighing, almost mimicking her, if it hadn't been a serious moment, she would have laughed.

"…Because he's not something I ever needed." He finished with a shrug, she felt as if she were about to cry, frowning gently at her intelligent little boy.

"But you never felt like you were missing something?"

"No…I have you." And she felt herself smile at him, he was so young but so wise and she couldn't quite comprehend that she'd made this beautiful little person. "…don't go and see him…" she frowned gently,

"What do you mean?"

"Whenever you think about him you get really sad…I know he's here…somewhere, because you've been sad."

"Oh baby I'm so sorry…"

"It's okay…grown ups are complicated." And she couldn't help but laugh and he smiled and she opened her arms and he bundled into them, hugging her so tightly and she shook her head.

"No one could ever make me sad, not when I have you."

* * *

She stood outside the hospital room, staring at it as if it were the gates of hell. She loved her son more than anything in the world but this was something she needed to understand…she needed to know. When she entered the room it was dark, the blinds were drawn and it took her a moment for her eyes to adjust. It took her a few seconds to realise Eric wasn't in bed and she frowned, clearly confused about whether she'd gone into the wrong room.

"I'm not dead." She jumped turning to see him standing in the bathroom, he was wearing only pants and she lost her train of thought for a second. "What, were you feeling guilty?" He asked, stepping back into the room.

"How are you walking around right now…?"

"I've been shot before." He replied bluntly, as if that meant you could miraculously heal like some kind of vampire. He walked past her to the bed and she watched him go, seeing the wounds in his back and frowning gently. She saw the tattoo again, his nickname for her blazing out against his skin as if it was some how luminous.

"…Why do you have my name tattooed on your back?" He stopped suddenly, his t-shirt in his hand. For a moment he didn't turn, seemingly contemplating his answer but finally he did, his eyes narrowed slightly and his head to one side.

"You know for a member of Erudite, you can be pretty damn dense."

"Eric." She said bluntly, her eyes wide, dangerous and bright.

"Really? You need me to spell it out?" He asked, his tone irritated. When she didn't answer he let out a laugh shaking his head and kneeling down to pull on his boots "Look, I haven't got time for this. I left because there was no other option. You were a distraction, a big one, with you in the way I was reckless. That's what I was like before I transferred." He looked up at her, his eyes cold and matter a fact, his voice level "You were a _liability_ , and you needed to be forgotten in order for me to obtain the level I did at dauntless." He paused and she felt hurt bristle through her. "And after that, when you came too see me…" He paused again with a shrug "I had a mission. I had to concentrate. You cloud my judgement, you always have. You make me fear for my own life."

"…why?"

"Because," he stood, his eyes locked on hers "if you loved me, me dying would hurt you." She looked at him for a moment in awe of how such a selfish man could be so unselfish. He was a literal walking contradiction.

"…But that doesn't explain why my names on your back." He sighed audibly.

"I had your name tattooed on my back…because leaving you was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. And it reminds me of the strength I carry inside myself because if I could get through that, I can get through just about anything." And his eyes were boring into hers with such intensity that it frightened her.

"Is it just a calculation to you?" she asked with a frown "You loved me, so you removed me, so you remove feeling from yourself? Is that it?"

"Pretty much."

"…How…" she paused, taken aback and looking at him in disgust "…What has dauntless done to you?"

"Made me stronger."

"That's not being stronger! That's being alone!" He shrugged, calmly placing his hands in front of him as he looked down at her.

"I'm a solider. That's what I do. Tell me, whose going to care the next time I get shot and actually die?" She blinked, unsure if she should answer or not but instead he answered for her "Yeah, the answer is no one."

"…but then what's the point?" she asked shaking her head "What's the point in all of this?"

"I'm here to serve and protect. Nothing more."

"You're a robot!"

"And that's how I like it. Emotions are messy."

"But you get angry! I've seen it! Is anger a waste of your time too?!"

"No. Anger fuels something in me that makes me even better."

"Good god you're a monster…"

"Depends how you look at it I guess. I'm sure there are a lot of people who'd agree with you."

"…and you don't even care?"

"I try not too…but I am human." She suddenly shook her head

"Nice try but I just don't believe you." He blinked, surprised by her answer "I knew you…sure you could be cold and cruel but you could also be passionate and loving…I took the bad with the good and there was a lot of good…your just trying to push me away."

"No. I can assure you that I'm just an asshole."

"I'm sorry but I don't buy that." He sighed impatiently "I'm engaged." He froze, she didn't miss the frown etch into his forehead.

"What?" His tone was low and dark

"You heard what I said."

"No you aren't."

"Yes I am, his name is Gregory."

"No you aren't, the report didn't say anything about that." She almost felt her jaw fall off,

"Report? What do you mean report?"

"I get monthly reports on you." She stared at him, open-mouthed for a moment before suddenly tears were welling in her eyes. He was looking at her smugly as if he'd got one up on her.

"Oh my God…Eric…" She shook her head slightly "…Do you…do you even hear yourself?"

"What is there to hear?" He asked, pulling on his jacket over the top of his t-shirt and wincing slightly.

"…Eric you get monthly reports on me." She paused "One, that's fucking weird and two, why would you get them if you didn't care?"

"I never said that I didn't care." He said shaking his head as he turned back around to look at her.

"Yes you did! You said it outside the gym!"

"Well then I lied." She was staring up at him, confused before it slowly dawned on her what else he could know.

"…does that mean you know about Lucas?" She asked quietly and he blinked, his eyes flicking to another spot in the room before going back to her.

"…No…who the hell is Lucas?" She swallowed, blinking and finding a tear stream down her cheek. She took in a breath shaking her head and brushing the tear away.

"Uh uh, no one. That doesn't matter." She said beginning to back away from him but he raised his eyebrows, taking a step towards her threateningly.

"Oh no, you can't start that and then just end that there, who the hell is Lucas?"

"I told you. It doesn't matter! Go read it in your stupid report!" She cried angrily "Better than the real thing I suppose!" And she went to walk past him but he caught her wrist, pulling her back.

"Let me go!" And he knew she was asking for more than him holding onto her, she was asking for him to let her go forever, to stop this back and forth between them but as he held onto her wrist, feeling her rapid heart beat, all he could think to do was the very opposite.

"I can't." He said simply and then he suddenly moved, pulling her to him and claiming her lips passionately, one hand on the back of her neck, the other on her lower back, bringing her closer.

"I won't do this again!" she breathed as he broke off, her arms were pinned in front of her on his chest and she couldn't move, he was holding her so tightly as if she might slip through his fingers "I promised myself! Let go of me!"

"Whose Lucas, Beth?" He asked, his forehead resting against hers but she made a sound of frustration, trying to pull away from him and turning around but he only pulled her in closer, her back against his chest. "I will find out so you might as well tell me now…"

"When you find out, I highly doubt I'm the one you'll be angry at, your researcher better watch their back!" She struggled again but he held on firmly

"Beth, you are going to tell me who Lucas is or I'll find him and I'll _kill_ him." She let out a laugh, suddenly breaking free and stepping away from him.

"You wouldn't dare…" she shook her head, her features hurt "You say you've changed but your still the jealous idiot I knew from before!" She shook her head angrily as if she were trying to forget this conversation "You're so blind Eric…you say that I cloud your judgement but do you know what I think? I think who ever controls you, be it dauntless or whoever, has purposely lied to you but do you know what? It's your own fucking fault!" And with that she wrenched the door open and was gone.

* * *

He threw the doors to her office open, pushing the member of Erudite out of the way as he did so. She looked up from her desk with a perfectly arched eyebrow

"…Eric, how nice to see you."

"Who the hell is Lucas?" He said darkly and she pulled a face, narrowing her eyes

"Ah…well I knew this would happen at some point…" His nostrils flared and he closed the gap between him and the desk in seconds, slamming his hands onto the table and baring down at her like some kind of wild beast.

"WHO THE HELL IS HE!" He pursed her lips, fixing him with a look,

"You are going to calm down or I'm not telling you anything."

"This was not part of the deal you dried up old hag. I wanted to know EVERYTHING. That was the whole point! And now, she tells me there's some dude called Lucas who seems like a pretty big fucking deal so you're going to tell me right fucking now or I'm going to put your pretty, stern face, right through THIS FUCKING TABLE!"

"…Finished?" She asked calmly, clearing her throat and his lip twitched angrily before she finally reached up, turning her screen around and showing him the picture of a little boy. He could be no more than five or six, his eyes were bright blue and he had dark brown hair, which was messy, and in the picture he was laughing, looking up at a woman that he recognised as Martha.

"…He's a kid?"

"Yes." Janine paused, pressing a button and another photo sliding onto the screen, this time showing a younger looking Elizabeth holding the toddler in her arms, balanced on her hip as she walked through one of the parks. He was staring at the screen,

"…What am I seeing here?" He asked, but Janine knew he already knew.

"That Elizabeth has a son and his name is Lucas, or Luke for short, I've met him actually, he's a wonderful child." Eric swallowed thickly, suddenly looking very lost as he stepped away from her desk.

"And the father?" Janine raised her arched eyebrow once more.

"I think you already know the answer to that don't you." He suddenly ran at her but as soon as he did the doors opened and two men burst in, restraining him as he roared in anger, still trying to run towards her.

"She was pregnant! With my child?! And you didn't think that was important to tell me?!"

"No. You made your choice. You wanted to be distant from her in order to succeed at our mission. You asked me for reports on her, Lucas was never part of the deal."

"Oh FUCK you Janine!"

"Don't be angry with me. I chose to leave out Lucas from the reports because what would it have accomplished? What would it have changed?"

"Everything! Do you think I would have left her if I'd have known?!" And he pulled angrily at the men holding him back, ignoring the painful twinges in his back.

"No. And you would have resented her and your child for the rest of your life because of it. You belong in dauntless Eric. You have done since you were six years old. You needed me to lie to you because otherwise you would not be the agent you are now. It would have jeopardised everything!"

"You let me…let her, do that all on her own…"

"But she's done so well Eric! Your son is a triumph, he's the most intelligent in his class!"

"I was the most intelligent in my class and look what happened to me!" he shouted angrily, full of such rage and she rolled her eyes.

"You are going to calm down or I will make you calm down." He was glaring at her before finally nodding and she signalled for the two to unhand him.

"That was not your call to make!" he was pacing like a changed animal, glaring at her if he wanted to set her on fire and watch her burn.

"No, it wasn't, and sure, it might have been different if Elizabeth herself had decided to tell you…but she chose to keep it from you…didn't she?" Janine paused as she looked at him, walking around her desk and perching on the edge of it. She moved, pushing the screen around so that they were looking at the picture of Lucas. "You have a _son_ Eric...congratulations."

* * *

She jumped hearing the banging on her door and she sat up in the dark, gasping out of fear and automatically knowing exactly what was happening. She switched on the light, looking at Lucas who was staring at her with wide eyes.

"Stay in bed baby. I'll be fine," she said flashing him a smile and closing the bedroom door behind her.

As she pulled her cardigan around herself and walked towards the door she felt something in the pit of her stomach, as if her guts were being churned up inside. She stopped by the door, exhaling as her fingers wrapped around the metal and she breathed carefully, clearing her mind before she suddenly opened it and was faced with the last thing she ever wanted to see.

He was glaring at her, his eyes full of anger

"ARE YOU-" But she placed a finger to her lips, stepping outside and closing the front door behind her. "I swear to God-!"

"Stop." she said fixing him with a look "Stop shouting right now or you won't get any answers." He turned away from her, walking to the balcony and holding onto it, clearly agitated, his knuckles white as he gripped onto it. She let the silence lie for a moment, watching his back and trying to understand how she felt about this. How she felt about him finally knowing.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He was trying extremely hard to keep himself very calm, to the point where it actually scared her more.

"I tried..."

"When." His voice was low and cold and angry and she almost felt the venom in it. She closed her eyes, looking down at the ground.

"I was going to tell you the night I came to dauntless. I was going to tell you that you had a son." She watched him bow his head, his arms outstretched, still holding onto the barrier with tight hands. "but then I saw a side of you i'd never really seen before and I changed my mind." He let out a bitter laugh

"You knew that about me before we were together! You _knew_ I was cruel!" And he was looking over his shoulder at her but she could only see half his face.

"Yeah..." she replied quietly "...but never to me...you'd never been cruel like that to me." silence fell between them again. "you fire your report maker?" despite the situation she heard him laugh, shaking his head.

"I can't. I work for her, not the other way around."

"hm...bummer."

"...this is never what I wanted." He said finally, he still hadn't turned around and this time instead he was looking up at the sky "I was convinced I was going to have one or the other you know? Family or dauntless, never both. I thought i'd chosen dauntless...yet here I am with a fucking child, ironic really that a man with such a detailed and meticulous plan completely fails." He paused before he suddenly said "How did this fucking happen."

"Well, when a man and a woman love each other very much- oh wait, nope, that didn't happen did it so search me, must have been the lack of contraception." Her sarcasm meter almost exploded then and there and she almost heard him scowl.

"I'm so angry with you that I honestly cannot look at you right now." she felt her own jaw lock angrily

"Excuse me?!" she hissed "You're fucking angry at me?!"

"Yes. You had no right to keep this from me. No right."

"It was my vagina! I had every fucking right!" He suddenly turned, closing the space between them in a stride and slamming his hand by her head into the brick work and making her jump.

"He is a part of me as much as a part of you and don't you blame me for not being there because hell, i wasn't even told about it. I would have fucking been there. I deserved the fucking option!"

"You cut out early! Or are you forgetting that?!"

"I didn't know you were pregnant! That was fucking news to me until about an hour ago!"

"Oh! I'm sorry! I was fifteen and scared out of my shitting mind! Screw you! What did you think would happen?! That we'd have brunch or i'd tell you on a celebratory couples holiday?! We were fucking kids!" both were breathing heavily and she looked at him with a frown saying "I did it all on my own!" She felt gasped a little, feeling tears well in her eyes as she shook her head "All on my own...my mother disowned me Eric." And she let out a small, hurt laugh. "I was just lucky enough to have a married older sister...that's the only reason i'm not living with the factionless right now. I endured years of torment from people looking at me, and whispering about me and calling me a whore behind my back! Do you have any idea what that's like? People said I didn't belong in Erudite because I was stupid enough to get pregnant that young!" He was just staring at her and something seemed to be waging a war in his mind and he suddenly shook his head, standing back upright and placing a calming palm to her cheek and then pressing a kiss to her forehead before whispering.

"And I would have stopped all of that from happening...all that hurt and pain I would have stopped if you'd only told me...but you chose not too...and now, as punishment for that...i'm going to take your son away from you." She felt like she'd been punched in the stomach and he was suddenly gone, pushing off of the wall and walking away. She watched him go, with wide, confused eyes, her mouth open a little in shock before she suddenly collapsed to her knees, her hand going to the balcony edge to try and stop herself from falling, and although she was on the ground and although she knew exactly where she was, she felt like she were still falling, down and down in the great black abyss which was opening around her and she wanted to do nothing but scream.

* * *

 **Hey again everyone! What a dick Eric, god stop being so dramatic! To catchingpansycakes i'm glad that you like my portrayal of Eric, the thing is, i've read a lot of Ericxoc's and they are great and all but he's just way too nice in them. What i like about Eric is that he's mean and cruel but he does have a heart. And I want everyone who might be a bit pissed at him being what I can only describe as a total dick in this chapter, is that he's angry and he's as hurt as she is so...yeah, watch this space :D**


	6. Chapter Five

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Five

He'd never been so ready to get into bed. Eric usually hated sleep, mostly because his brain was overactive and he was plagued by nightmares, ones that made him feel like he'd been running all night and that he hadn't slept at all. But not tonight, tonight he wanted to drink a bottle of whiskey and collapse in a heap. He felt drained, more than usual, but it wasn't physical and he knew that, he was just mentally shot. Although he tried his upmost to be an emotional robot, he couldn't run away from what he felt, especially when those emotions were negative.

Eric was very aware that he was like a volcano, explosive, dangerous and intense, but he always had been and the only person who'd ever really been able to deal with it had been Beth. But now he was angry, angrier than he'd felt in a long time and it was directed at her and he didn't know how to process that.

Why couldn't she have just told him? For what reason did she think it would be simpler for him not to know? He was angry because of the support he could have given her, deep down in his heart of hearts he fiercely believed no woman should have to do that alone, his mother did it alone and she died so young because of the toll it took on her mind and body and the last thing he wanted was for Beth to go through the same thing.

Eric didn't know if he wanted a kid…but the thought of Beth and his son happy with another man made him outrageously jealous and he knew for a fact if she did meet someone else, the irrational part of him would intentionally mess it up for her. Imagine being with someone that had him as an ex…jeez even the thought of that made him grimace. He hadn't really had to worry about her being with anyone else because they'd been so young, sure he'd wondered why she'd not been dating anyone but he guessed her depression had something to do with it and she just hadn't wanted too.

But now it was completely different, she was getting older, far stronger as a person than she had been when she was seventeen. And she was beautiful…she wouldn't go unnoticed for long.

He made his way back to his room, grabbing a bottle on the way and ignoring anyone that asked him anything, which was few and far between because of the time.

He climbed into the cargo elevator with it's big metal gates, slamming them closed and let it rise to his apartment, which was an old dusty office floor filled with ramshackle furniture from some forgotten time.

He stepped out of the elevator and watched it sink back down and locking his floor off from any unwanted visitors and immediately pouring a glass of whiskey which he took in one shot and stood for a second, trying to calm his loud thoughts.

He didn't look up, but it was almost as if he already knew, almost as if he'd been some how half expecting it. He exhaled, not looking up as he poured himself another drink and necked it back, the glass sliding out of his hand and back onto the counter as he finally looked up.

"How did you know where I lived?"

"You aren't the only one whose good at finding stuff out…"

"Why are you here?"

"I am willing to give myself to you…you can have my body, as much as you want, you can take my heart and rip it to pieces time and time again, you can use me in the worst possible way and not even bother putting me back together again…just don't take my son from me." His eyes were dark as he leaned on the counter, his large arms outstretched as he leaned his weight against them. He suddenly pushed off the counter, walking slowly towards her and standing, his eyes boring down into hers.

"…And how do you know that's what I want?" He asked with a shrug and she sighed, smiling sadly,

"I'm not blind Eric…or stupid." He let out a scathing laugh, brushing his thump over his lip and nodding

"Sure. Why are you here Beth?"

"I just said-"

"No." He cut her off bluntly "No, why are you here." He shrugged; sliding his hands into his pockets "I don't understand why you would want me to do that too you, any self respecting woman, wouldn't do this."

"…Because I'm tired of fighting Eric…I'm so tired." She let out a sad laugh "I don't know how to explain it without sounding like I'm having a complete mental break down, but my soul feels like lead…I feel tired…I'm weary…and I don't want to fight you anymore because do you know what? It's like fighting a _hurricane_ and I don't want to anymore, I've been fighting you my whole life without you even being there, and now your actually here? I don't stand a chance…so I'll let you do whatever you want…just don't take my son from me."

"I thought you were stronger than this." His short, clipped, unimpressed answer made her grind her teeth and she glared at him making her tears worse

"Do you know what? Fine. I'm done trying to understand what you want from me. I never said that I was a strong person! Never! You just presented me with that title and expected me to wear it! But I can't anymore! I can't keep doing this because it's killing me! SO FUCK. YOU!" And she was face to face with him, her lips trembling from the effort and her face contorted with rage as she stared at him with wide, wide eyes. His face was a blank as he looked at her before he quirked an eyebrow and she lost it "WHY IS NOTHING EVER ENOUGH FOR YOU?!" She screamed and she made a sound of angry frustration before turning and storming towards the lift in a flurry of angry unwanted tears and blue clothes. She pressed the lift button but when it didn't appear she felt a sudden sense of panic and needing to get out of here, repeatedly pressing it again and again.

"Your enough." She heard it behind her and paused, her hand hovering over the button and something broke in her, something that was holding her up just simply snapped, and all the years of pain and hurt and betrayal came out and she felt a sob escape her before she slowly crouched down onto the floor, sitting down with her back to him and her hands to her eyes and beginning to weep.

She suddenly felt a pair of large, warm hands on both her shoulders, squeezing them gently as he sat down behind her, legs either side of her body.

"It's okay," He said, his voice low and clear, exhaling audibly as he pressed a chaste kiss to the spot just behind her ear, she closed her eyes tightly, leaning away from him as she shuddered with each sob and he wrapped his arms around her middle, his lips resting on her bare shoulder.

She shook her head, unable to breathe as if he were smothering her and tried to pull away but he was far too strong and she suddenly cried, "You left me!" In between sobs in such a way that it was heart breaking to hear and she pressed her hands to her face, rocking forwards slightly.

"…I know…" his voice was matter of fact, no sadness or sympathy, just knowledge that yes, that's exactly what he had done. They stayed like that for some time until she quieted slightly and he slowly shifted, moving and placing a strong arm underneath her knees and behind her back, lifting her into his arms and beginning to walk back across the apartment.

"What are you doing?" she sniffed, almost trying to get him to put her down. He stopped in the centre of the room, looking at her.

"You said you were tired right? You said you didn't want to fight me anymore…so don't. Just let it be what it is." She was frowning slightly as she looked at him,

"I don't underst-"

"You don't have to _understand_ everything. Fucking Erudite." He said with a shake of his head and she couldn't help but crack a small smile and his eyes flicked down her lips before he shook his head again, reinforcing his hold on her and carrying her to the bed. She sat in the centre, her arms wrapped around her knees as he unzipped his jacket, throwing it over the edge of a chair and then sitting down and undoing his boots. He looked up at her at one moment but they said nothing, she wondered if it was to check if she was still there. He finally stood, unbelting his trousers and taking them off before finally he got onto the bed beside her and laid down, "Beth, you're tired, sleep." He instructed and she looked at him oddly, her arms still wrapped around her knees

"…But I thought you were going to-"

"Beth…" He said quietly, his eyes were already closed and she looked down at him

"But don't you want…me? Wasn't that the whole point?"

"You can fuck me whenever you want Beth, I'm all yours, but I'm never going to do anything to you when I think your doing it for the wrong reasons…why would I fuck you like I do other girls? For one meaningless cheap thrill? That's not how I ever want you Beth... never. You don't want this right now so, go to sleep." He couldn't see her because his eyes were closed but she was smiling at him. What kind of man was he? How could he be so good and so bad at the same time? How could he be so cold and cruel but then so thoughtful and loving…?

"…I think you're a good man Eric…"

"No…I'm not. That's the one thing I can never be." He replied matter of factly. She half smiled, laying down next to him. She stayed awake for a while just watching him, after a while reaching out her hand and drawing light patterns on his tanned bicep, something she used to do when they were teenagers. He opened his eyes slowly as if he'd been dozing and he looked at her before exhaling gently and then moving his whole body to be closer to her, his hand going to her cheek and kissing her gently. She curled into his body then, turning around and letting him wrap his large, secure arm around her waist to pull her even closer, her back fitting perfectly with his chest.

She could feel him inhaling the scent of her hair, his breathing low and calming, his skin so warm and assured and for a moment she tried to imagine what her life would have been like if he'd been part of it…lost time…it was all just lost time. Slowly she was lost to a dream of sunlit days and family outings, of unrealistic visions of Eric and Lucas playing in the sun in a world that didn't exist.

Eric however, did not dream, he was not running for something he could not reach, because she was beside him, wrapped in his arms.

* * *

 **Super short I know, but just a teaser for the next chapter which I hope to post pretty soon, i work in the week so i try to post at least two chapters every weekend. I wanted to say thank you for the reviews, they've been amazing, thank you so much, they really make a difference, honest :)**


	7. Chapter Six

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Six

 _"'_ _My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary…He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being…'" She paused, frowning slightly at the page and sighing before putting the book down and lifting her chin up to look at him. He was sitting with her head on his thigh, reading a heavy volume, which he balanced on the opposite leg, frowning a little in concentration. "I don't think I like Heathcliff and Cathy…"_

 _"_ _Why?" He muttered, noting down something in his neat handwriting,_

 _"_ _Well, I know it's a classic and everything." She said, shutting the book with a satisfying snap and looking at the spine, her eyes tracing the silver letters of 'Wuthering Heights' "But they are a terrible couple together aren't they? They spend so much time worrying about other people…if she knows she loves him, why not just be with him?"_

 _"_ _Things are more complicated than that." He said absentmindly and she knew he wasn't really concentrating on what she was saying._

 _"_ _Only because she makes it complicated…to me it's just simple." And she was looking up at him, he already looked older than he was, his features having matured within the last year, she smiled as she watched him. "If someone loves you that much, why would you even test that? Why wouldn't you just be content on being with them?" He sighed suddenly, looking up from his book and staring out into the world,_

 _"_ _Because Cathy wants to elevate herself in rank, that's the whole point of her character, she's selfish and narcissistic and thinks she can have both things; Edgar who comes with rank and position and Heathcliff, whom she loves, and who, yes, she probably should have married. But her ambition was more important to her. She believes that Heathcliff will still be there, will still follow her around like a lost puppy but when he leaves, she suddenly realises what she has done. You can control your own life as much as you like…other people aren't so easy." He glanced down at her and she was smiling up at him with a grin and he raised an eyebrow motioning his head to the side to look down at her "What?"_

 _"_ _So you are listening to me…"_

 _"_ _When do I not listen to you?" He replied stubbornly, his tone a little agitated._

 _"_ _When I'm a-talkin' nonsense." She watched him pull a face, shaking his head a little._

 _"_ _Keep your nonsense. I like it as it is."_

 _"_ _You like my nonsense?!" She giggled an he couldn't help but restrain the smile that wanted to come through,_

 _"_ _I wouldn't be without it…" He said wearily as if it was something she already knew. She laughed, slowly trailing off and looking at the sunlight flitting through the trees, shinning down upon them._

 _"…_ _Are you scared about the test?" She felt him still, sighing a little as he put his book down again. He shifted, leaning over so he was now leaning on his elbow beside her, his face upside down above hers._

 _"_ _No…and we've had this conversation already…"_

 _"…_ _I know…" she said, her fingers playing with a strand of the grass she'd picked, not looking at him. He sighed audibly,_

 _"_ _Beth…"_

 _"_ _Oh no," She frowned gently "don't say my name like that, it means you think I'm being stupid."_

 _"_ _Because you are."_

 _"_ _Says you." She snorted sarcastically but he suddenly caught her hand, causing her to look up into his blue irises._

 _"_ _Listen to me." He said as he looked intently at her "I'm not going anywhere…" and then he slowly began to smile "not without you anyway…you're 'my eternal rocks beneath'" He finished slyly, leaning down and pressing a chaste kiss to her lips._

 _"_ _You being romantic is weird." She felt his body sag as he sighed_

 _"_ _Really? You moan at me for not being romantic and then when I am you say it's weird?!"_

 _"_ _What? I'm just really not used to it…I prefer you when your mean." She teased, sticking her tongue out at him and he chuckled shaking his head._

 _"_ _At least somebody does."_

 _"_ _I like you as you are Eric…I don't want you to be anyone else." He looked down at her again with a small frown._

 _"_ _You might regret that some day…"_

* * *

She got back home, unlocking the door with her keys as quietly as possible in the early morning light and carefully creeping into the kitchen. It only took her a moment to see Clarissa sitting at the kitchen table, watching her calmly with a cup of tea between her fingers.

"…Where have you been sis?" Beth considered lying for a brief moment but decided instead to just be vague.

"Out.."

"I can see that…but I suppose I just sort of find it out of character for you to go out at one in the morning after someone mysteriously comes and starts hammering on the door. And I'm having a hard time believing it was Gregory." Beth leaned on the counter top, watching her sister who only raised her eyebrows waiting for an answer. "Who, by the way, has called round for you about five times." Beth diverted her eyes to the ground "What's going on Lizzie?"

"It's complicated." Clarissa let out a stubborn laugh,

"Oh God I knew it… _I absolutely knew it._ You know, I thought to myself when I saw all those dauntless agents about, there's about a one in a million chance he'd find you, one in a million but, once again, I underestimated his ability to be a complete and utter arsehole."

"Clarissa don't be unfair…"

"Unfair?! Unfair, really?! Do you know what's unfair? Having to take on your little sister and her infant son into your home when you should be allowed privacy with your husband and your own family!" that hurt and Beth didn't hide it.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because it's true!" Clarissa shook her head "Does he know? Does he know about Lucas?" Beth nodded and this seemed to make Clarissa even angrier "I pulled you up from this...abyss, half raised your child and i'll be damned if I let you just...throw it all away again for him! I'll be damned if you let him be part of Lucas' life."

"That isn't your call!"

"Yes it is!" she exclaimed "Or are you forgetting that?!" Beth was just staring at her, with wide, hurt eyes "Or didn't you tell Eric that? Wonderful, handsome Eric doesn't even know that you don't have custody of your own child."

"That isn't permanent." Beth hissed, her breath staggered "I'm being reviewed soon!"

"Yeah, and if you think i'm going to plea in your favour, then your INSANE. He's gone. I don't want him here or around Lucas, is that understood?"

"I'm twenty one years old! You can't tell me what to do and what to do with my own child!"

"Yes I can! Because your off your fucking rocker! What, he doesn't think it's weird that a woman with a good job at twenty one doesn't live on her own?! He doesn't think that's odd?! Hasn't he seen your arms Elizabeth?!" She yelled, grabbing Beth by the wrist and yanking up her sleeves about a third of the way to reveal the large, scared marks slashed over her veins.

"Stop!" Beth cried, trying to release her sisters grip and failing.

"Look at them, and tell me your going to go there again. Look at them, and tell me how being with him is going to be good for you! He almost killed you last time Lizzie! You almost died!" Clarissa had tears in her eyes, looking up with her younger sister pleadingly "For the love of your son, stop this! Stop this spiral of pain that you are entering...please!" Beth was crying, tears running down her cheeks as she stared at he arms and frowned gently,

"He's the father of my child...!"

"No." Clarissa said shaking her head "No, Gregory is the father of your child! he was the one who was there, he was the one that's been to every graduation and every Sunday park visit playing football, he's the one that loves you!"

"You don't understand!" Beth said shaking her head with a sob,

"Yes I do! Because my version of Eric made my life a misery, and then I met my Gregory, called Tyler, who is the father of my children and sure, maybe our marriage isn't as passionate as it could be, or as romantic...but it works! And it works because he bothered to stay!"

"So what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to go and see Gregory, tell him you love him and get away from Eric!"

"But there's only one problem with that Clarissa," She shrugged, letting out a tearful laugh "I don't love him...I never did, not like that. And i'm not taking relationship advice from a woman whose husband flirts with his own sister in law!" Clarissa suddenly slapped her, the horrid sound echoing around the apartment.

"You already fucked him again didn't you?!" she spat, completely enraged "Mom was right, you're a fucking WHORE!" Suddenly the door flew open and Tyler stood there, staring at them both, his hair a mess from being woken up at such a time.

"What the hells going on?! It's five in the morning!" He asked completely amazed as he stared at the two women. Beth stared at him for a second before taking in a shuddering breath, her hand to her face before stalking past her sister and into her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

She stood for a moment with her back against the door, unable to breath and feeling as if her sister had punched her in the heart with her words. She turned her attention to the bed where he was asleep, his tiny body curled in the covers and she felt a pang of hurt spring up in her as she looked at him. He'd always been able to sleep through the worst things...a baby born in a storm. She could remember the night like it was yesterday, the dark storm clouds and the rain lashing against the windows as if it wanted to cause her further pain. It had been the worst experience of her life giving birth...no one is prepared for it, especially not when your fifteen and on your own.

But as she looked at him, slowly walking around the bed and climbing onto it, her hand gently brushing his hair out of his eyes, she thought about how something so wonderful had come out of something so bad.

* * *

 _Song: The Weeknd - Wicked Game_

He'd been thinking all day, confused about how it had felt to wake up and watch her leave. He knew it would be one way or another, not caring about her or being intensely consumed with how much he...couldn't say it. And wouldn't say it. But it was there, if that's what it was and he knew that if it wasn't, this was the closest he'd ever get.

He'd been thinking all day, confused about how it had felt to wake up and watch her leave. He knew it would be one way or another, not caring about her or being intensely consumed with how much he...couldn't say it. And wouldn't say it. But it was there, if that's what it was and he knew that if it wasn't, this was the closest he'd ever get.

He'd been observing training all day but he felt strange, as if he'd been concentrating but in the back of his mind had been this constant annoying person, shouting at him to do something. But he wasn't going to do anything. This was a decision she had to make herself and she wasn't going to be helped by his presence seeing as he probably distracted her as much as she did him. It was a dangerous thing, their kind of relationship, it clouded everything as if you were looking through a thick fog and things which looked safe were actually extremely dangerous.

As he read a report, his eyes scanning the words and feeling the cargo lift whir into life, he was concentrating on concentrating on the report, ignoring the niggling feeling at the back of his mind. He lifted the cage door up, walking out and once again locking the lift off before walking into his apartment and not noticing at all.

He walked into his kitchen, putting down his keys, his eyes still on the report. He suddenly heard a breath and looked over his shoulder, she was sitting in his bed, her shoulders bare, hair long and around her like some kind of perfect vision. He blinked, almost wondering if he'd not woken at all. She let out another breath, finally standing and letting the covers slip down her body. He felt himself intake a sharp breath seeing her without any clothes. He turned slowly, putting the papers he held in his hands down, his eyes locked on her, his eyes hungry like an animal as he took her all in.

"I want you. Now." Her words were like a hymn to his ears and he spared no time covering the space between them and grabbing her off of the bed to bring her close, holding her above him as she kissed him, passionate and forceful, full of pain and hurt and wanting to make him feel, her legs wrapping around him. His hands traveled down her back, feeling her defined curves, how her body was familiar but still different and he bit her lip, forcing her to kiss him deeper. Her feet finally touched the ground and she placed her hands on his shoulders, pushing him away from her for a second. He was breathing hard, watching her as she pushed the material of his jacket off his shoulders and let it hit the floor. His t-shirt was next, her hands traveling down him, over his chest and abs, hooking her fingers under the material and peeling it off of him before stooping slightly and kissing his skin, her lips traveling over him with butterfly kisses.

She stood to her full height then, looking through her lashes at him and he was enjoying the view. She smiled, playfully, sexily, so rare for her and brushed her hand down onto his chest before pushing him backwards and turning around and beginning to walk away. His hands planted themselves on her hips, pulling her back towards him exploring her, skin against skin as he pressed kisses to her shoulder and her neck. She moved her hand, reaching up and around to his neck, shutting her eyes as his hand moved down and she felt him smile as she made a sound of pleasure.

* * *

She woke very early in the morning as the misty light of dawn streamed through the windows into her eyes and she was hit with the similar memory from when she was seventeen…but there was a difference this time, his arms were still anchored around her, her cheek was against his skin. When she looked up she realised he was already awake, staring into space.

"…hello," she said quietly and he blinked, his eyes shifting down to look at her, he said nothing for a long moment, just looking at her "did I wake you up?" she questioned with a frown, referring to their entangled bodies.

"No," He said with gentle, low sigh, shaking his head "I always wake up at this time." His voice was a little husky and it occurred to her she'd never heard his voice when he'd just woken up.

"…and do what?" She asked with a frown "it's like 4am."

"Run mostly." He said with a shrug and she let out a short, airy laugh, pressing her forehead against his chest.

"Oh god poor Eric…what have they done to you?"

"Made me very physically fit Elizabeth."

"Oh _Elizabeth_! Is that what your gunna start calling me when you're annoyed with me?"

"Who said I was annoyed?"

"You hate it when I talk about dauntless negatively…" he was looking at her again,

"Why do you hate dauntless so much?" He asked with genuinely confusion "they protect you on a daily bais…" She swallowed thickly looking up at him with large eyes.

"Well I would have thought that was obvious really." He actually rolled his eyes and she could have sworn she felt his arms tighten around her a little.

"They didn't take me away from you Beth, I made that decision myself."

"I don't want to argue with you…" she said quietly and he sighed as she felt his chest sink underneath her cheek. "…what are we going to do?"

"About what?"

"This…Lucas….just, everything. It's such a mess."

"You're a hot mess though." She pulled a face looking up at him

"That's your answer, really?" he let out a rare laugh,

"No...I do have a question to ask you though."

"Sure, what?"

"What happened to your face?" She felt him brush his hand down her cheek and she felt her breath hitch in her throat.

"...What do you mean?"

"Don't play games with me Beth, you've got a bruise the size of a hand on your face and i'm pretty sure that wasn't me last night." She bit her lip, suddenly trying to shift out of his arms but instead he lifted her entire body so she was sitting on top of his waist. He sighed, lifting her face and angling it to the light so he could see.

"Eric, stop-" She said, leaning over and grabbing one of his shirts and slipping it over her top half and arms.

"Who hit you."

"No one!"

"Does no one have a big ring on their wedding finger?"

"Eric!"

"Talk to me. What's going on?"

"I need to get back." She went to climb off of him but his hands clamped down on her thighs, stopping her from going anywhere.

"Stop deflecting. I'm content to sit here like this all day so you might as well tell me."

"What are you going to do?"

"Well if you don't tell me what happened i'll suppose it was your boyfriend and i'll kill him."

"He's not my boyfriend and no, it wasn't Gregory so don't use it as an excuse to beat the living shit out of him. Honestly it doesn't matter."

"So if that's the case you won't mind telling me." she sighed, pushing her hands to her face in exasperation,

"Fine! It was Clarrisa, happy now?"

"Your sister?" He questioned with a frown and she nodded "Why did she hit you?"

"She found out i'd gone to see you and that you know about Lucas."

"...So, what's that got to do with her?"

"She's just worried...sister...ya know."

"Yeah well you can tell her to back the fuck off." He said harshly and she frowned at him

"...There's no reason for you to get angry about this..."

"But I am angry! I don't need her judgement on who I am. I also don't need her hitting you so hard you bruise either."

"It's fine...sisters fight."

"Did you hit her back?" He questioned, eyebrows raised and Beth pulled a face, blinking "Right so it wasn't exactly a fight was it? It was just her hitting you."

"Hey." His eyes slammed into hers suddenly "I'm a big girl...I can look after myself."

"Nah...not when your with me. That shits going to stop." She opened her mouth to retort but a sound suddenly echoed up the elevator shaft.

"ERIC! UNLOCK YOUR LIFT!" Eric sighed irritably, his head sinking back into his pillow and closing his eyes for a second.

"Alright…" He called back in the direction of the lift, turning back to her for a second and carefully moving her off of him to stand up.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU FOR FUCKS SAKE!" He growled in annoyance before turning and bellowing

"ALRIGHT!" at the lift shaft, his hand on her cheek the last thing to leave. He picked his trousers up off the floor, pulling them on as he walked to the panel and unlocked the mechanism causing the lift to whir into life. He looked over his shoulder to see her standing up, walking towards the bathroom.

"…What are you doing?"

"Well I thought you wouldn't want anyone to know because I'm Erudite…" He quirked an eyebrow, his head titling to the side in annoyance at her and he pointed back at the bed,

"Get back into bed. Now."

"But-"

"I'm not ashamed of you Beth, no one runs you out of my bed expect me." She blinked in shock and swallowed, her arms going around her self consciously, when she hadn't moved he raised both eyebrows threateningly, fully turning to walk towards her which was all it took for her to hurry back under the covers. He was satisfied and turned back to the lift which had now appeared with who ever had been shouting. Eric stared at him with an unimpressed look.

"What do you want." The mans eyes swept the room, seeing Beth but seemingly pretending it didn't matter as he climbed out of the cargo lift. He was tall and slim, with dark eyes and dressed much like every other dauntless male but looked far more at home in them than most did. His knuckles were bruised, fingers weighed down with heavy silver rings bar his trigger finger that was instead tattooed with thick black circles that travelled all the way up to the very tip of his finger, down his hand and around his wrist. He had no piercings to speak of, but instead he had several neck tattoos that disappeared under his jacket from view.

"There's been a huge attack."

"Where? Coffee?" Eric said walking towards the kitchen as the man followed,

"No, and Erudite." Eric looked at Beth who felt herself catch her breath,

"What happened?"

"Factionless…they attacked a huge housing complex,"

"Where?!" Beth suddenly said and the man looked over his shoulder at her.

"Beth." Eric said, fixing her with a look and she looked at him with a panicked expression. The man looked at Eric half in amazement and then back at Beth, of course everyone had seen the tattoo on his back but no one knew who it was. "Harvey," And he motioned his head towards the lift and Harvey nodded, following Eric and once again seeing the 'Beth' tattoo on his back before Eric pulled a t-shirt over his skin, hiding his secret from the world. As they walked to the lift, Beth stood up, her eyes fixed on Eric, telling him something without words. "You. Stay there. I'll be back in a minute." She swallowed, watching them step into the lift and then disappear as it descended. As soon as it was gone she jumped off of the bed, pulling on her clothes.

* * *

Harvey was Eric's right hand man. A trigger happy lunatic that was described as a bit of a mad dog, but was also known as one of the funnest men within dauntless...if he liked you. He had a killer sense of humour and a loud laugh and essentially had managed to become 'friends' with Eric due to his total refusal to be ignored by the leader and had bugged him into submission. He was also effortlessly good at his job and everyone who knew him knew he didn't miss a target.

He had relayed all the information about the attack to Eric, thankfully the attack hadn't been near Beth's sister's apartment and so Lucas would be fine, but they were evacuating because another attack was imminent. They'd agreed to send out two teams, one with Eric and one with Four, ready to seek out the attackers and try and find the bombs. They'd agreed on their course of action and Eric stepped back into the lift, ready to head back up stairs, pull on some clothes and meet in fifteen minutes. Harvey stood by the lift, watching Eric for a second in silence.

"…so that's Beth?"

"Shut up."

"She's hot."

"Seriously man, fuck off." Harvey smirked as Eric disappeared from view.

* * *

She was waiting by the lift when he came back up, fully dressed and agitated. He pushed the gate up with one arm before catching her with the other as she surged forwards to get in and pulling her backwards and out of the lift "No." he said bluntly "Not gunna happen."

"Eric I need to go back now!"

"The attack wasn't anywhere near Lucas." He said calmly, still holding onto her and she frowned violently at him.

"That doesn't matter! I have to go back NOW."

"No." he said again simply.

"Fuck you! He's my son and he's going to be scared!"

"I know. But there's going to be another attack-" but he didn't finish as she tried to get past him but he caught her easily, lifting her up and over his shoulder as she yelped in surprise and anger and he turned, walking to the lift controls and locking the lift off so she couldn't use it and then forcibly brought her back into the main area of the apartment as she continued to thump her fist into his back yelling 'LET ME GO!' "Alright…" he said half bored as he dropped her down onto the bed, she stood up immediately, glaring at him with her jaw set, teeth gritted and going to hit him but he grabbed onto her wrists looking down at her. "You are going to stop or I will make you stop." The threat was real and frightening and she felt herself cower slightly. "Good. Now I'm going to tell you what I'm going to do which is what I was doing before you started hitting me." She glared at him "I'm taking a team to Erudite because I have to try and find whose doing this, meanwhile, I'm going to also go and get Lucas and I'm going to bring him here-"

"You aren't bringing him to dauntless!"

"Beth, I know you don't like it here but even you know this is the safest place for him."

"Fine! But I'm going to get him myself!"

"NO YOU AREN'T!" He bellowed and she jumped, completely frightened "I am not letting you anywhere near Erudite. You are staying here where it's safe and you are going to let me, the person whose trained for this, go into the war zone!" She suddenly grabbed onto his jacket, pulling him forwards and kissing him deeply

"I love that you want to keep me safe! But right now I don't matter! I will do EVERYTHING that you tell me to do! Every single thing! Just please, please, please, let me come with you because I'm not abandoning him and he's going to be so scared!" She had tears in her eyes as she pleaded with him, he exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment and then pressing his forehead to hers

"You aren't going to give this up are you?"

"No." He was frowning at her before he sighed

"Fine. Make sure your ready in five." She nodded rapidly, kissing him on the cheek and then disappearing into the bathroom. He looked at the door for a long moment, clearly thinking.

* * *

When she came out of the bathroom Eric was already dressed and in the kitchen area, she walked over, looking at him, waiting, he looked up at her, walking towards her and handing her a cup of something warm and tea like.

"What is it?" She asked looking at it oddly with a frown,

"Its to make you more alert. Drink it." He ordered, walking past her to do something else, she looked at it questionably before shrugging and drinking it. After it was finished she walked to the sink, cleaning the mug in the water and drying it up to put on the draining board. When she had finished she looked up to see that he was watching her silently with a blank expression on his face. She turned expectantly to him, waiting for him to move but he didn't.

"…are we going?"

"I am…" He said exhaling gently as he crossed his arms over his chest looking back up at her. She frowned gently

"Are we having this conversation again?"

"No." He said shaking his head, she didn't really understand what was going on and her brain seemed to be slowing down somehow…fuck. She turned slowly, looking at the cup she'd put on the draining board and then just as slowly looking towards him, he was just staring at her. Waiting.

"You're a fucking asshole."

"I know." He said simply, standing up and walking towards her, she met him in the middle, putting her hands on his face and staring up into his eyes as she felt his hands resting on her waist.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"I can't have a overly emotional erudite woman running around with my team Beth, surely you knew that."

"But this isn't your choice!" She exclaimed quietly, he exhaled audibly, slowly taking more of her weight as she lost the ability to hold herself up.

"Funny how that's just cropped up again…"

"I am asking you to please not do this…" She was feeling more and more tired by the second, he moved his hand to her face, cupping her cheek and helping her keep her head upright.

"It is my choice Beth…it's always been my choice…the moment you decided to keep Lucas was when it became my choice."

"But I'm a human being…you can't just decide everything for me!"

"…Sometimes you need people more qualified to make the decisions for you."

"I won't forgive you for this…"

"Yes you will." He said it with such a calm reassurance and as he held her to him with one arm, his other hand on her cheek he felt her lean into him, losing her senses completely and as her head fell lightly onto his chest and she slept. He moved quickly, lifting her up and laying her on the bed, drawing the covers of her body, sweeping his eyes around the apartment to make sure she'd be safe, and then without another look walking to the lift and leaving.

* * *

 **yay massive chapter, i'm sick and off work so i used the time to write this which was kinda nice, but i am super snotty. Anyway, as usual thanks for the reviews, they are lovely :) keep them coming and letting me know what you like and don't like.**


	8. Chapter Seven

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Seven

Martha was still, for all intensive purposes, Lizzie's best friend. But as she sat in Clarissa's front room, listening to her best friend's sister talking about what was happing, she felt an anger rise up in her that she'd never felt before and she honestly didn't know how to process it.

Clarissa was angry with her sister and the situation but mostly with Eric, she was blaming everything on a man who could emotionally manipulate her sister in a way no one else could. But as Martha sat there, listening, she found, almost to her own surprise, that all her anger was being rerouted at Lizzie.

The first time had not been her fault. She'd been young and she'd loved him and she'd been scared and mentally unbalanced. But now? After everything she'd been through, after watching herself spiral out of control, she was going back to a relationship with a man who'd almost ruined her life, a man who'd almost killed her without even knowing it.

Eric had always had a cruel streak about him, Martha had never really liked him, but he had seemed so different with Lizzie, mainly because she'd been so shy, kind and quiet. Martha could distinctly remember him letting her playfully hang onto the back of his jumper when they climbed the stairs, usually ending up with him putting his hands behind his back and letting her hold onto them, or how he remembered all her classes so that when she forgot, like she always did, he could tell her where she was supposed to be. They seemed like the perfectly fitted half of one another, what he lacked in kindness, she had more than enough of, and what she lacked in courage, he made up for in sheer determination and grit.

She could remember the selection day, she could remember seeing him rise from his seat and automatically twigging that something wasn't right. Everyone had thought he'd get dauntless, but he'd reassured a worried Elizabeth that he'd gotten Erudite and that he was staying…of course that had been a complete lie and as she watched him pledge to dauntless, she thought of her friend who was only just younger than them by a few months and has just missed the bracket of selection and what this would do to her.

Sometimes Martha wondered if she'd been there, if Elizabeth had been sitting in that room, watching him, if he'd of done the same thing…

But that didn't matter now. Because dangerous wasn't even enough to describe what Eric was now. Everyone knew what he did, the kind of things dauntless did to people. They disguised themselves as police and were then down right cruel, twisted and in some cases evil. But what made Martha's skin crawl, what made her want to shake Elizabeth by the shoulders to tell her how stupid she was being was the idea of Lucas being anywhere near that fucking man.

...this was a man who hunted innocent people

...this was a man who would kill _her_...given half the chance.

Martha wasn't like them, she wasn't anything like any of them, she belonged no where and had only survived by being very smart about it and keeping her head to the ground. But everything was about to change and now Martha was scared. Very scared. But not just for herself.

Martha had known Lucas since the minute he'd been born and he was practically family to her. She loved him as if he were her own son and she knew him better than the back of her hand. What struck her was that he was a remarkably good kid, unbelievably polite and already fiercely protective of his mother whom he loved with all his heart. He was extremely intelligent, not only academically but also emotionally, he understood people's feelings and Martha knew more than one occasion where he'd not told Elizabeth something other kids had said at school about her because it would upset her.

He was all of these things, at such a very young age and it amazed her that no one else around him could see it, because she could see it plain as day. The more he grew and changed and developed, the more she could see traits of every faction in him and the more she was sure that he was like her. Divergent.

And his father was Eric, a man who killed divergents for a living.

And it struck her very suddenly that there was only one thing left for her to do, because as much as she loved her friend as as much as she knew Lizzie would never intentionally hurt her child, Lucas was in such a high amount of danger that she could no longer stand by and just watch.

* * *

He loaded his gun with expert hands, tucking it into the back of his waistband and barking orders at a few of his team, Four fell into step with him as he too swung off of the train and they stood side by side at the edge of the platform, looking at the scene of chaos before them.

"Fuck." Four said with a grimace

"Yeah." Eric replied deadpan

"What are they blowing up buildings in Erudite for? Attack us, we're the ones with the guns…" the voice of Harvey could he heard behind them,

"Because we'll shoot back." Four replied stonily not even looking over his shoulder at the younger man. "They aren't interested in anything but getting our attention and by killing innocent people they achieve that…" He trailed off moodily, his fingers tightening around the weapon he held.

"It's war. People die. Get over it." Eric replied bluntly in response to Four, who set him with an ice chilling look before turning around to glare at Harvey.

"Get them ready." Harvey gave a nod and a shrug, turning on his heel and walking towards the group of dauntless. "You know Eric, for someone with such a pretty Erudite girl in his bed, I would have thought you'd give more of a shit that it could have been her." Eric slowly looked towards Four,

"What the fuck are you talking about Four." Four pulled a face, his tone still completely level.

"News travels fast."

"Oh I'm sorry, is my lack of empathy bothering you? Should we sit down with everyone in a Amity focus group and discuss how our feelings are effecting us right now..? Maybe hug it out..? Or should we proceed with the task at hand and do our fucking jobs?"

"I guess I just don't get it. I would have thought you'd give more of a shit."

"No Four, I'm just not letting my emotions cloud my judgement." He turned walking away and towards his group before muttering, "Get some fucking control."

"You're speaking to me of control? Really?" Four called after him. Eric stopped dead, his boots crunching on the dirt beneath. He saw Harvey looking at him and sighing almost as if he knew Four was getting under Eric's skin.

"What are you fucking doing right now?" He asked, pulling a face of pure frustration as he turned around, his hands out as he shrugged "Because last time I checked, we were here to find the people that pulled down an entire building on top of all your 'innocent people'."

"Look I don't give a fuck about what you do Eric. But keep her out of this and stay focused on the job. It's not good to get attached…especially not to a woman who can't defend herself."

"You don't know her. Don't underestimate her…"

"Underestimate?" Four let out a short laugh "What the fucks wrong with you? She's erudite for Christ sake, are you trying to get her killed?!"

"Who's going to fucking kill her?!" Eric asked in genuine confusion, "No body cares Four!"

"Oh what, because you think it's not an actual written rule, people won't care? Faction before blood Eric…there's a reason for that, they don't like mixing factions…you know why." Eric slowly smiled shaking his head and letting out a low laugh.

"Oh what? Because there's a higher chance of a kid being divergent? Please, no kid of mine is going to be divergent. I was born erudite, that's still in my blood,"

"Look." Four said catching his arm with a strong grip "I'm telling you for your own good," Four was looking at him with such intensity that Eric couldn't help but feel threatened "Don't ruin her fucking life." He let go of Eric's arm suddenly and walked towards his own group leaving Eric staring after him with a dark look.

"…already did." He said under his breath before he turned around yelling "LET'S MOVE OUT!"

* * *

She dragged herself painfully into consciousness like dragging your hands over broken glass, sitting up and trying to focus.

"Lucas!" She breathed out, "Wake up!" She cried at herself, pulling her limbs up from the bed and taking a step only for her to sway dangerously and her eyes to roll into the back of her head as she dropped to the floor.

* * *

Eric found himself outside the flat before he could even think about what exactly he was going to do. He wasn't sure how to do this without it ending very badly, but then again, he wanted his son and so that's what he was going to get.

He knocked on the door, waiting for it to open and seeing Clarissa for the first time in seven years.

"Clarissa." She stared at him seemingly in horror for a moment before she slammed the door straight in his face and without any hesitation he threw his foot into it, breaking the lock smartly.

"STOP!" She shouted as she stood in the corridor, she was holding a baby in her arms, another young child hiding behind her legs, peeking out at him. Her hand out as she glared at him, telling him to stay away. "What do you want Eric?!"

"You know what I want. So don't be an idiot and hide him from me."

"You're going to ruin her life..."

"I'm not discussing this with you. It's none of your business."

"You're a violent brute..." He raised an eyebrow

"I'm not the one whose hand print is on her face at the moment." Clarissa's face twitched menacingly as she glared at him "...were you trying to push her back to me? Because thanks, it completely worked."

"Get out of my house!" she snarled angrily

"Gladly, when you tell me where Lucas is."

"There's not a chance in hell." He let out a low laugh looking at the ground and shaking his head

"Oh Clarissa...just because your sister had my son, don't think I won't snap your leg in half." She gasped, clearly threatened and almost stepping backwards but stopping because of her child.

"You will _ruin_ her." She whispered, her eyes glazing over with angry tears and he let out a smirk,

"You don't know me Clarissa..."

"Oh I _know you_...you almost killed her before, when you left like a coward!"

"Everything I do, I do for her own good."

"And now?!" She said with a disbelieving laugh "Who is this good for?!"

"I'm still acting in her best interests. She's safer with me than she'd ever be with you."

"The day you hurt her, I hope everything is taken from you..." He rolled his eyes, he'd had enough and he didn't have time to deal with this right now.

"Where is Lucas."

"He's gone!" She exploded "With Martha!"

"Thank you." He said, with a nod of the head and a sly smile as he turned around going to walk away.

"Hey Eric!" She shouted after him and he looked over his shoulder, pausing in the hall way. "You think you're such a saviour...that you do it all for her own good?" She paused, shaking her head "Then next time you're together, look at her arms, and tell me _how good for her_ you really were."

* * *

She woke very suddenly, curled on the floor of Eric's room in agony. But with everything in her, she summoned the strength to drag herself out of semi consciousness and got herself off of the ground. she stood for a moment, collecting her energy and looking at the lift in front of her. Eric had simply underestimated how far a mother is willing to go for their child.

* * *

There were dauntless agents everywhere, checking every floor of every building, every road for anyone suspicious, he strode through the city with a purpose, having gotten the information of where Martha lived exactly and finding his way there pretty easily. All that was on his mind was finding Lucas and getting him back to Beth. He knew she'd be incredibly angry with him, probably hit him a lot...but she'd be happy Lucas was safe and in some way, Eric felt like this was him proving he was ready to take responsibility for this and that he could and he would keep them safe.

As he looked up he suddenly stopped dead, anger mounting inside him.

* * *

She felt like time was some how running out, the train ride from dauntless had seemed strange and almost unreal, the effects of the heavy tranquilliser Eric had given her still wearing off. She'd stumbled out of the train, running directly towards Erudite's buildings as a few dauntless soldiers called after her to ask her where she was going.

But she didn't stop, she just kept running, winding her way through the crowd of people and almost getting stopped by dauntless soldiers who tried to catch her as more and more noticed. She dodged the last one, looking over her shoulder to see if they were coming after her, before she slammed straight into someone, ending up on the ground and looking up into the bright sunlight at a young man who was looking down at her with an unimpressed look.

"What? Can't be separated from him for more than a couple of hours?" Harvey's tone was sarcastic and she didn't appreciate it but her head was pounding too much for her to make a clever retort. "Honestly, you seem like a nice girl, what the hell are you doing with that jerk off?"

"I've need to find my son!" She slurred suddenly, pulling herself up and almost falling back over as he grabbed her, holding onto her arms to steady her.

"Woah...are you drunk?"

"No!" she exclaimed angrily, trying to throw his hands off of her arms "He drugged me!" Harvey looked at her for a long moment.

"...as in...against your will?" She automatically knew what he was getting at and shook her head, exasperatedly.

"No! I willingly had the sex part, no, he drugged me to keep me here so i'd be safe and he could go and find my son." a grim smile slowly split over his face.

"You've gotta be kidding me..." She shook her head slowly, the look on her face saying it all "Actually you know what? That's not even all that surprising."

"Look! i'm not going to blow anything up so can you let me go now! I need to find my son!"

"Well I would but I don't think Eric would let me live if he'd known I let you go walking around like this."

"I'm fully in control of all my limbs!" she spluttered, sounding very drunk and hating herself for it "Damn it, no, okay...maybe talking makes no sense but I know where i'm going!"

"Great...well you can take me with you then can't you." She sighed theatrically

"Fine!" She blurted out angrily "Have you got a big gun?"

"Yep." He said holding it up with his free hand

"Cool, totally might come in handy."

"I hope that's not a euphemism."

"Really? Right now?!"

"Sorry. I joke in tense situations with girls that willingly go into relationships with Eric because he's a bit of a dick."

"Well I guess it's a matter of perspective."

"He drugged you." She opened her mouth to retort but suddenly realised that he was very right.

"Yes...yes he did...and i'll kick him really hard later, probably in the balls if you want to watch." Harvey nodded solemnly.

"That's a thing i'd like to witness."

"Great, let's go."

* * *

"Right where now?" Harvey asked, grabbing onto her arm as she swayed dangerously once more,

"My sisters flat, it's around the corner, we just need to walk for another five minutes."

"Look, your seriously not all there yet, why don't i go and get your son and bring him too you?" Beth shook her head,

"No...my sister won't give him to you, she doesn't know you."

"But she'd give him to Eric?"

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Well I did wonder-"

"HARVEY." the bark startled them both and they turned their faces towards the sound, both seeing the terrifying figure of Eric standing in the middle of the path in front of them looking so angry that he could spit fire.

"...feeling up to kicking him in the balls yet?" Harvey asked, directing his attention back to Beth who was glaring at Eric, her lip twitched angrily and she gritted her teeth.

"You...fucking...asshole..." She hissed slowly.

"Beth." He said with a warning tone, not taking his eyes off of Harvey "You're going to be quiet until I deal with you."

"Oh really?!" she exploded, letting go of Harvey and beginning to walk towards him "Am I now? Just going to do whatever it is you say? Like a good, little woman who does the cooking and the cleaning and raising the children-" But as she'd been speaking he'd covered the space between them, walking past her and was suddenly face to face with Harvey.

"Did you wake her up?!"

"What? No! She stumbled off the train looking like a mad woman so I decided not to let her walk around in such an appalling state!"

"Hey!" she exclaimed angrily turning around to look at both of them

"Then how did you wake up?! That's supposed to last for hours!" He said suddenly rounding on her again

"Because fuck you that's why!"

"Beth, jesus christ what do I have to do?! Hand cuff you to the radiator?!" He exploded exasperatedly

"HOW ABOUT DO WHAT YOU SAY YOUR GOING TO DO?!" She shouted back in his face, her hands in fists by her sides

"YOU'RE IN SO MUCH DANGER NOW, DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND?!"

"OF COURSE, BUT OUR FUCKING CHILD IS HERE-"

"Our child...?" Beth and Eric suddenly stopped, their argument being cut short by Harvey who slowly looked from one to another and then back at Eric, "Oh God tell me you didn't."

"Shut up..." He snarled at Harvey

"Don't you tell him to shut up! At least he was helping me!"

"Are you defending _Harvey_?!" Eric growled in disbelief

"Oh don't be a child Eric!"

"A child? Me?! Are you joking?! You've just come into a place that could potentially be filled with bombs HALF LUCID!"

"WHERE IS OUR SON!" She shouted so loudly, her eyes so wide that Eric was taken aback by her ferocity. "None of this matters!" she whispered shaking her head, "Where is Luke?!"

"...Not with your sister, she gave him to Martha." Beth let out a breath of panic, tears coming to her eyes as she took in a sharp breath.

"It's going to be okay," She felt Eric's hand under her elbow and despite herself, her fingers gripped onto his arm "It's not far. We'll find him." She nodded and he placed a hand on her cheek, his dark eyes scanning her own for a second as he then hissed something under his breath.

"We're still going to talk about this later." He said, letting go of her for a moment and pulling a gun out, checking it was loaded before replacing it, "I'm not happy about you being here." She looked at him for a moment before swallowing nervously and shaking her head.

"I couldn't be anywhere else." He said nothing, instead only pulling her with him towards Martha's flat.

* * *

 **So, first off, sorry i've been away for a bit, i've had a busy couple of weekends, but good news, i've mapped out an entire plot for the story so i know exactly, more or less what's going to happen and it's gunna be an emotional ride so, stay tuned folks, hope you liked the chapter. Thanks for all the reviews and such as always, they always help. Hope to have chapter eight with you soon.**


	9. Chapter Eight

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Eight

The walk towards Martha's was quiet and intense and no one spoke a word. She was in the middle of the two, watching the back of Eric's head and wondering what level of angry he really was. She suspected it was a very high seven or perhaps an eight but at the same time she really didn't want to find out. They had climbed up the fire escapes and to the roof, a way to get to Martha's apartment complex without being out in the open on the ground, it was a way she and Eric had used many times when they'd been kids, had hidden away from adults and the prying eyes of on lookers.

She could hear Harvey's footsteps behind them and for a second she thought about how he must see all of this. What he must think of her as a person, or even as a mother.

"Stop." She hadn't been paying attention and walked straight into Eric's outstretched arm almost as if he already knew she'd do exactly that. She felt his fingers curl around her hip slightly as his eyes scanned the sky, she said nothing, almost holding her breath and hearing Harvey slowly raise his weapon, locked and loaded too shoot. Eric slowly stepped forwards, his hand leaving an imprint of warmth on her as he let go, crouching down on the edge of the building and listening.

"Eric?" He turned back to look over his shoulder at her. She was frowning and for a second he realised just quite how beautiful she really was.

The horrifying sound of an almighty bang and an unnatural crack ripped into his thoughts like an ice pick and before he could even move, he saw her eyes widen, her lips parting slightly in a breath before suddenly, the ground beneath her was lost.

He dove forwards as she let out a scream but it was Harvey that grabbed onto her wrist, his whole body falling forwards and landing with a thump on the roof.

"ERIC!" He was there in a second, as Harvey shouted his name and let out a sound of pain, all of her weight was attached to his wrist and it felt like his arm was being ripped off and in a minute he would fall over himself.

"GIVE ME YOUR OTHER HAND!" Eric shouted, she was dangling helplessly over the void and looked down, seeing only a great big hole beneath her and looking back up at him "NOW!" He bellowed getting down on all fours and extending his arm. She bit her lip, using the momentum of her swinging body to throw her arm up. She missed, yelling in fear when Harvey slipped forwards a little over the edge and roared in frustrated pain.

"JUST DRAG HER UP!" Harvey yelled angrily, a vain in his neck bulging "THIS ISN'T AN EXERCISE DRILL, WE'RE BOTH GOING TO FUCKING DIE!"

"If I do that there's three people's weight on that one piece of concrete, it'll break! BETH!" He shouted again, "HAND!"

"I'M SLIPPING!" She cried, "I can't reach you! Drop me!"

"WHAT?!" Both Harvey and Eric yelled together

"On to the next floor!"

"What?! NO! If you unbalance you'll fall!" Eric growled at her, she looked back up at him

"I can...do this!" Her voice was becoming strained "HARVEY!" She shouted and he looked up at Eric.

"Don't you FUCKING-!" Eric began to shout but without another thought, Harvey swung her, almost throwing her onto the floor below which she jumped, narrowly grabbing onto the ledge and slipping down it with a yelp, her legs dangling into the abyss.

"NO-NO-NO!" Eric shouted, looking around and clocking the fire escape, he suddenly sprinted over the roof, grabbing onto the rail and sliding down as quickly as he could. He shot the glass out of the window, punching the rest of his way through and falling in, dragging himself up and sprinting forwards to find...nothing but the ledge. He felt the breath catch in his throat, his eyes wide as he started forwards, coming to the edge of the hole that had ruptured through every floor in the tall block and looking over at the empty, dark, swallowing hole below, all it showed was the layers of floors beneath them until it was too dark to see any further.

He couldn't breathe...he collapsed to his knees, his hands to his face before he let out a yell of anger, throwing his fist into the floor repetitively.

"ERIC STOP!" He turned, wide eyed and hearing her voice.

"Beth?!" He questioned into the void as if he was going mad.

"Down here!" He almost threw himself over in his attempt to see her and low and behold, on the next floor down she stood, holding onto the broken wall and looking up at him. He let out a breath, choking on dust and tears and he moved, climbing over "Eric no!" She began but he ignored her, swinging himself down and landing on the same floor as her.

She took a step back, frightened by his dark look but before she could do anything he pulled her into his arms, holding her so tightly that she couldn't breathe. "Eric."

"Stop..." He said breathlessly, he suddenly pulled away from her, looking at her features before sinking forwards, pushing her body against the wall, his forehead against it, his arm still around her, the other poised above him as he closed his eyes, breathing and calming himself down.

"...Can I move now-"

"NO." He replied loudly, his eyes still closed and cementing the one arm hold he had around her more to the wall. "HARVEY! Not that I should fucking care but are you still alive?" He shouted, his words echoing upwards,

"Just about." An angry groan sounded from the roof above them. Eric nodded, into his arm, letting out an exhale.

"I'm going to kill him later." He breathed angrily,

"Eric, don't be ridiculous, he-" She was stopped by him grabbing onto her shoulders and forcing her against the wall so hard that her hair fell in front of her face.

"No. Talking is reserved for people who don't take unnecessary risks."

"Unnecessary?!"

"It may have passed your _fucking_ notice but you could have died!" He snarled at her, the spark in his eye more than a little frightening.

"Harvey was about to fall over the edge-!"

"I don't care." He said quietly, coldly even "Harvey's dauntless, he's supposed to have a death wish, what's your excuse?!"

"Is it my fault that the building blew up?!" She asked, her eyes wide, angry with him for being so ridiculous.

"Beth." He said locking eyes with her "You are going back to dauntless. Now."

"No. We're near Lucas, I'm not going anywhere." He exhaled loudly, clearly trying to suppress his anger with her.

"I'm not auguring about this. You are going back."

"Or what? Your going to drug me again? You can't _control_ me Eric, as much as you want too." He raised an eyebrow and let out a nasty laugh,

"Don't under estimate me...or how mean I can be." She swallowed, eyeing him worriedly and feeling her breath hitch in her throat.

"You would never hurt me..."

"Correct...but would I tie you up and throw you back on a train to dauntless? Oh yes I would...and I think i'd enjoy it." His eyes were narrowed, his jaw locked angrily.

"...Eric..." She said with a warning tone and he only glared at her more.

"Don't. Test me."

"If you think, i'm coming this far and leaving my baby behind you've got another thing coming."

"I do think that. Because i'm going to make you do that."

"Right." And with that she kneed him _very hard_ in the crotch, sending him down to his knees and set off down the corridor at a run. Unfortunately for Eric, she had far more of a clearer idea of where she was going than he did.

* * *

She'd realised quite suddenly that she was in Martha's apartment building and only a floor or so out from the specific one. Without another thought, and ignoring the voice in the back of her head that said Eric was coming straight after her, she'd ran through the crumbling corridors, coughing her way through the dusty rubble and starting on the journey to Martha's. It hadn't taken her long to find it, a breath of relief coming from her as she closed the space between her and the door.

Almost as if it was meant to be, the door opened as she reached it and her eyes landed on the small boy who stood before her and she let out a relieved laugh,

"MOM!" He shouted with such a determined furiously that Beth felt tears sear in her eyes, kneeling down as he lunged forwards and she scooped him up into a tight hug.

"Lucas!" she exclaimed, pulling away slightly to examine him, he wasn't hurt at all and she smiled again, her hand caressing his face. "Oh thank God, I was so frightened!"

"Lizzie!" She looked up at the voice of her friend and smiled, reaching forwards, gasping her neck and pressing a kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you for keeping him safe Martha!" Martha opened her mouth to say something, but it was almost as if she couldn't but then, he appeared, pulling the door slightly out of the way and revealing himself to the world. He was huge, over six three and built like a barn. He was dressed in strange clothes that didn't belong to a faction, and it occurred to her almost immediately that he was factionless. "...Martha?" Beth asked slowly, eyeing the man at the door.

"...I was going to tell you Lizzie, I was going to but the right time never came-I thought it would be fine! I thought you'd come around but-but then he came back! He came back and I couldn't stand the idea of him hurting Lucas!" Beth stared at her oldest friend, her arms protectively around her son.

"...what are you talking about?" Martha's expression over flowed with angst and she looked back at the man in the doorway who remained silent and staring.

"I'm divergent." Beth's face completely fell, her face almost draining of all colour before she let out a nervous laugh,

"What? I've known you my whole life, no you aren't."

"But don't you see Lizzie? That's the point, we're no different from you-"

"Janine says divergents are dangerous-" She took a slow step backwards, clearly wary.

"Well Janine is wrong!" Martha's cry echoed around the building, so passionate that it caused Beth to stop in her tracks. "You know me! Do I look dangerous to you?!"

"No...but he does..." Beth breathed, her eyes slowly looking up towards the tall man behind Martha.

"He's not...but he came to see Lucas-"

"What? Why?" Beth said sharply, her arms tightening around her son

"-and he agrees with me, he thinks Lucas is divergent too-"

"That's a lie!" Beth cried hysterically, taking a few more steps backwards.

"Lizzie listen to me!" Martha pleaded, following her, arms outstretched "This is why you can't be around him! This is why it's not safe for you to be with Eric...He hunts us as if we're no more than a pack of dogs that deserve to be put down!"

"What have you been telling my son?" Beth whispered, her eyes locked upon Martha.

"Only what he needs to know."

"How dare you!" She exclaimed with tears in her eyes "He's six Martha! He's six years old!"

"Well he needs to know that he'll be hunted! By his own father!"

"I'm not listening to this anymore!" And with that Beth turned, holding Lucas so close and feeling him holding onto her so tightly.

"So you're willing to take the risk?! Lizzie!" Martha cried after her down the corridor "Are you forgetting what he did to you? Are you honestly going to stand there and tell me it doesn't matter?!" Beth stopped, closing her eyes for a moment before turning to face her old friend.

"That was a long time ago Martha...I won't condemn him for that."

"You're blinded by your own lust..." Martha said simply, shaking her head,

"Maybe...but don't I deserve some happiness Martha? Don't I?" She paused, frowning gently

"He's a murderer." she said determinedly and Beth frowned suddenly, watching her friend

"...What?"

"Oh hasn't he told you? Don't you know what he is Lizzie? Or are you going by Beth again?"

"I'm not listening to this anymore." And she turned again, walking away from them. It wasn't until it was too late that she heard the footsteps, turned and was shoved into the wall with such force that she completely lost her footing. She screamed, her head connecting with the brick work and she fell, slumped against the wall and trying to still hold Lucas without dropping him.

Lucas was crying, and as she looked up, she could see the blurry figure of the tall man before her, baring down upon her. She could feel something warm running down the slide of her head and made a sound of pain before, to her surprise and utter pride, Lucas, her tiny man, stood up in front of her, his tiny six year old form facing off with a man tripple his size.

"Stay away!" He said as forcefully as a six year old can muster "Stay away from my mom!" Beth stared up at him and she honestly felt her heart break, over flowing with love for her child and wanting, so wanting to get up and help him but she couldn't move.

And it was suddenly that everything changed, flashes of light erupted down the tunnel and there was shouting and the tall man before them suddenly ran. Lucas stepped backwards and she felt his hand on her shoulder and she felt her own eyes close.

* * *

Things seemed to happen in a blur, she felt herself being lifted and carried but it wasn't Eric...and then there was light and she opened her eyes to see Lucas being carried by the back of Eric's head, Lucas' identical eyes watching her...and then there was movement, a train, the changing of light and parts of a conversation she could just pick up.

 _"Is your skin just like that?" Lucas asked_ , _Eric let out a rare laugh_

 _"It's a tattoo, you get them drawn on you like a picture." Lucas was staring, mesmerised, his tiny fingers running down the line of ink on Eric's skin and looking at it oddly when there was nothing on his finger afterward._

 _"It doesn't come off?"_

 _"No, it's a special kind of ink."_

 _"But what if you draw a picture that's better than the one you've got there?"_

 _"Well, you're kinda stuck with the first one I'm afraid." Lucas thought about this for a long moment before deciding to say_

 _"I draw pictures!"_

" _Do you now? Maybe you can draw me one."_

* * *

She woke slowly, inhaling his familiar scent and opening her eyes

"Where's Lucas?"

"He's fine, he's with Harvey..." He said quietly, his fingers stroking her hair gently "It means we can talk." She looked at him for a long moment

"...what do we need to talk about?" He blinked down at her for a second, his hand pausing before he exhaled,

"Simply? Your lack of caution. Beth, I can't do this if you aren't going to listen to me." She sat up suddenly but her head screamed at her angrily and she made a sound of pain, shutting her eyes and burying her head in her hands.

"Lay back down please..."

"No, look," She paused readying herself and turning around to face him, still sitting on the bed "I'm not some little women that will sit here and do whatever you want-!"

"That's not what I want at all. I love that you have your own mind Beth, that's one of the best things about you, but when it comes to stuff like this," He gestured to her head "It's so avoidable...you getting hurt is avoidable...and it's my job to keep it from happening, as a member of dauntless and...as your man...can you not understand that?" she looked at him before a small smile flitted across her face

"You're my man huh?" His face deadpanned and he shut his eyes clearly regretting saying it.

"I didn't know what else to say. I didn't want to say boyfriend. This is serious."

"My _serious_ man?"

"I'm never saying it ever again now."

"Eric," she said, stowing her smile somewhere else for a moment "I can promise you that I will do as you say most of the time in these situations, i'm not used to them, but...well, if Lucas is in danger, I can't promise that at all...he's a much bigger priority to me than my own safety...and i'm sorry but that's just the way that it has to be." He was watching her before he shook his head

"I don't accept that. It's my job to do that. Not you."

"So I just sit on the sidelines? Come on..."

"Beth i'm being completely serious, i'm not going to let you endanger yourself for anyone, not even Lucas." She looked at him for a moment

"He's our son..."

"Yes, and i'll do all of the rescuing in future if there need be any...just...just not you."

"...Eric..."

"I can see that this is something we aren't going to agree on...but hopefully, that situation won't arise ever again." She nodded smiling a little at him but sadly, as he reached out to her hand, playing with her fingers

"Is that it?"

"...No..." He cleared his throat,

"What's wrong Eric?" she asked quietly,

"I need to ask you something."

"What?" He seemed to pause, unsure of how to phrase the question and looking up at her questioningly.

"When I went to see your sister, she said something to me that I didn't quite understand."

"...like what?" She asked, intrigued.

"She told me to look at your arms." He saw her physically tense, her skin paling as she stared at him from across the bed. "I'd like to understand what it was that she meant." His voice was very level and very calm, but firm and he was remaining so because he could see her beginning to button up.

"I don't know what she meant-" But she made the mistake of taking her hands away from him.

"I'd like you not to lie to me Beth." He said slowly, again with a firmness of a man who was essentially a drill sergeant.

"I don't know what she's talking about." Beth stated again, her eyes wide and bright as she drew the cardigan around her figure tightly. "There isn't anything to see."

"I want to believe you Beth…and perhaps I would if I didn't know how good you were at hiding things."

"Eric-" She began hastily as he stood up, his eyes dangerously fixed on her.

"Don't 'Eric' me…" He said scathingly "Tell me what the hell you did." She swallowed nervously and without even thinking she ran, managing to get past him and to the lift which she closed and hit the lock switch, walking backwards and away from the doors.

"Beth I swear to God!" He hissed reaching the lift. "Open this gate, RIGHT. NOW." But she only shook her head, staring at him from her safety in the cargo cage lift as he held onto the bars. "You can't go anywhere I've locked the damn lift off!"

"I know that." She breathed, still staring at him, she swallowed, her touge sliding over her lips nervously "…You have to understand."

"Beth-" His voice low and warning her to unlock the gate.

"Let me talk." She whispered and he paused, his knuckles tightening around the metal he held onto and watching her intently. She swallowed again, her throat dry. "It was after the time I came to see you at dauntless…after I'd had Luke…I was…" She paused letting out a breath and closing her eyes to try and make saying it all easier and as she talked she began to smile "Everything in my life had been riding on that day, the day you'd see me, and tell me how much you missed me and loved me, and made a mistake…" And then her smile faltered "but it didn't happened and instead you used me and I was left utterly alone at seventeen with a baby and no mother because she didn't want to know and a sister who was busy with her own family and life…and it terrified me." She finally opened her eyes and looked at him before letting out a sad laugh and shaking her head "I couldn't do it anymore…I couldn't take the staring, and the shaming, and how everyone treated me. I had endured it for too long and maybe, maybe it would have been fine if I had you to run away too from time to time but I didn't! Because you didn't want me either!" And her breath caught sharply in her throat as she pressed a hand to her stomach, trying to stop it contracting in panic. "So I…so I decided Lucas would be better off without me…my sister…Gregory….all of them would be better if I wasn't there…" and she shook her head slowly. He was staring at her so darkly, his fingers wrapped around the metal so tightly that they were chalky white.

She frowned a little, looking down at her sleeve-covered arms and feeling sick. She slowly reached to her chest, taking off her cardigan and slowly, with shaking hands beginning to take it off and she shook her head again, letting the clothing hit the floor of the lift.

"Just two cuts I told myself…drift into a sleep and it would be over." She whispered, finally stepping closer, rubbing her hands down her arms before revealing them to him as if she didn't really want too. "I didn't realise how much it would hurt!" she stuttered on a breath, tears in her eyes and she shook her head, looking down at the two, neat, deep, white scars half way up her fore arms. She jumped feeling his hand underneath her arm; his hand gently tugged her forwards, his thumb slowly brushing over the scar tissue on her arm. He stood like that for a long moment before speaking.

"Open the gate." His voice was low as he stared at her and she gasped a little blinking and shaking her head "Beth. You will open this gate right now."

"I'm scared!" she breathed shaking her head and trying to walk backwards but his grip on her arm tightened

"You'll have far more reason to be scared if you do not open this gate right now." His voice was low and intense and she swallowed, biting her lip and trying to free her arm but instead he pulled her closer, his face inches from hers. "Now." It was so deathly quiet that she felt tears build in her eyes, far more frightening than if he'd have shouted at her. She swallowed, nodding as he let her go and flipped the switch in the lift to unlock the doors before with drawing from him and stepping backwards as he pulled the gates apart.

He stared at her before covering the distance between them in seconds and taking hold of her face in his hands and forcing her backwards so that she was against the back of the cargo cage. "Why would you do that? Huh? Why? For what reason was your son not worth fighting for?"

"I couldn't do it anymore-!" She wailed horribly but he was having none of it.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" He said, still lower than usual because of Lucas.

"I tried!" She said screwing her face up into a crying mess and lowering her head but he shook her, forcing her face up to look at him again.

"Not hard enough! Even then I would have cared about you wanting to kill yourself! Even then! Fucking hell I wasn't that much of an asshole!"

"I didn't know what to do! I wasn't good enough!" And he was just staring at her, his expression unreadable "I wanted to die!"

"Because of me?!" He almost let out an unbelieving laugh

"One of many reasons-"

"But I caused all of those reasons, right?" He asked, looking at her, his eye searching her face as he held her in place, his hands wrapped around her upper arms. "Well didn't I?" She stared at him for a long moment, opening her mouth but having nothing to say "All of this, _all of it_ , could have been avoided if you had just told me about Lucas. Do you understand that? Do you even comprehend it?"

"But I didn't! Because you made that impossible! Stop blaming me for something I didn't have any control over! I was already sinking, I wasn't going to bring you down with me!" Both were breathing rapidly and she shook her head closing her eyes and feeling so very tired. After a long moment he lowered himself to her eye level, locking eyes with her.

"This never happens again. You never do this again. Do you understand me?"

"Why are you being so cruel?" She asked so quietly that he caught his breath and when she opened her eyes to look at him he was staring at her with a frown and there were tears in his eyes which completely surprised her.

"Because that's all I know how to be. And because I'm fucking angry that you even thought of that as an option. It's NEVER an option. You never, _EVER_ keep something like this from me again. Do you understand?!" She swallowed, her whole body was shaking and she was just staring at him with a frown, her whole body tense and locked up as if he might hurt her. He suddenly let go of her, pushing himself out of the cage and walking back into the apartment where he stood stock still looking in the opposite direction from her as if he was finding it difficult to even look at her.

* * *

 **I've been away for a while...REALLY sorry about that, I went to new york and then work went a bit crazy etc so i found it hard to find time, but here you go, keep those reviews coming, the honestly do help! Thanks for reading :) xx**


	10. Chapter Nine

**Okay guys, I've made a decision to change one of the characters sort of. Basically my portrayal of Four is really, really off. I'm using him as comic relief a lot and essentially it's just not right for his character, so instead, I'm just going to replace parts of chapters 6,7 and 8 where he turns up, with a different character whose allowed to be the comic relief and who it makes sense him being there when I'm pretty sure Four probably doesn't care all that much about Eric (there is a scene I did leave him in on the roof top in chapter seven). So, we're going to introduce a character called Harvey. If you can't be bothered to go back and read them, (not much will change, just that instead of four, Eric will be having the conversations with this guy) here's the descriptions for you**

 _Chapter six - The mans eyes swept the room, seeing Beth but seemingly pretending it didn't matter as he climbed out of the cargo lift. He was tall and slim, with dark eyes and dressed much like every other dauntless male but looked far more at home in them than most did. His knuckles were bruised, fingers weighed down with heavy silver rings bar his trigger finger that was instead tattooed with thick black circles that travelled all the way up to the very tip of his finger, down his hand and around his wrist. He had no piercings to speak of, but instead he had several neck tattoos that disappeared under his jacket from view._

 _Harvey was Eric's right hand man. A trigger happy lunatic that was described as a bit of a mad dog, but was also known as one of the funniest men within dauntless...if he liked you. He had a killer sense of humour and a loud laugh and essentially had managed to become 'friends' with Eric due to his total refusal to be ignored by the leader and had bugged him into submission. He was also effortlessly good at his job and everyone who knew him knew he didn't miss a target._

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Nine

He was currently pummelling his way into a punching bag, hitting it so hard the thing was ripping in two. He was consumed by pent up rage that he couldn't seem to let go and the idea of going anywhere near Beth right now unsettled him. He was used to solving his problems in dauntless by fighting, hitting the shit out of each other in order to settle a score. Even with women. Because the women here knew how to scratch your eyes out as well as the men.

He'd once had a physical fight with a girl he'd been sleeping with who'd found out he'd been fucking someone else at the same time. The result had been her launching herself at him during training and the two hitting each other till they were bloody and then the score was settled and they had glorious sex afterward…but that was a very different breed of woman.

Beth hadn't hit anyone in her life and he didn't plan to make her start now. He loved that she wasn't callas and hard, but warm and loving with eyes full of concern for him…he liked how weak she was, how sometimes it felt like he could snap her like a twig just from holding her wrong…he'd never physically hurt her, not on purpose, but he liked that he could control her, she wasn't some wild cat he had to contain. He understood that mentally she was strong, much stronger than she gave herself credit for, but he could emotionally manipulate her in a heartbeat and what interested him was how easily she trusted him again; even after everything he'd done in the past.

He wanted to punish her for her arms. He had controlled aspects of her life that even she didn't know about without even physically being there; pushed her into a certain school, career, a _very_ female driven career at that, influenced her decision to move in with her sister…or get pushed to be living with her sister…he had mapped it all out without her even knowing.

Of course Lucas hadn't been part of that initial equation in his head but Janine had obviously managed that. He'd been in control always…but this? This was something he hadn't and still had no control over and he didn't like it.

Beth was his. His to leave. His to hurt. His to ignore. His to find again. His to be with. His. Maybe it was a Neanderthal way of thinking but he simply didn't care, that was how he felt. He heard the laughter enter the training area but didn't bother turning around, continuing working, it wasn't until he heard his name that he stopped, his jaw locking.

"Look who we've got here…one of our powerful masters…" He could hear the drink in their voices and felt himself quell the urge to want to have them all shot. He glanced over his shoulder, his expression bored.

"Can I help you?"

"I dunno, can you?" Eric finally turned, bare chested and wet with sweat from his work out and raised an eyebrow. He instantly recognised the younger man; he'd been an initiate a year or so back, hadn't liked Eric, had had the shit kicked out of him, made a low work grade and had hated him ever since. That wasn't exactly a new story.

"I haven't got time for this." Eric said bluntly, turning back to the bag when the young man, Sebastian, spoke again.

"See, I heard you've gone soft…" Eric paused and then he let out a laugh, but the laugh held no actual humor and he smiled, a smile which had struck fear in the heart of more than one initiate in it's lifetime.

"…What did you say?" He asked looking over his shoulder at Sebastian who shrugged, clearly in the mood for a fight and Eric, whose irritation levels had just about peaked was more than happy to oblige. "Now, it's only fair that I warn you. I'm really fucking pissed off already today, so, if you start this with me, I'll break your fucking nose."

"Just my nose?" Sebasitan jeered and Eric let out another laugh, shaking his head.

"I'm going to enjoy having an excuse to beat you too a pulp. From what I hear, you've been waiting to say this too me for a long damn time but you've been too scared. So what? You find out I have a girl and a kid and decide that means I'm not the guy that almost killed you when you were an initiate? You've got a chip on your shoulder that you need to get rid of and guess what? I'm more than happy to knock it off for you."

Sebastian just went for him, running at him full force but Eric was Eric and he weighted a lot more and they crashed into each other like animals. This wasn't a fight of skill. It was one of anger.

* * *

It was several minutes before Harvey turned up, wondering what all the shouting had been about and stumbling across Eric, beating the shit out of a kid.

A part of him felt almost bad for the guy but then, if Sebasitan came across an opponent as angry as Eric currently was; this was good practice for such a horrid confrontation in the future.

He heard the crunch of the guys nose as Eric threw his fist straight into Sebasitan's face and he went down like a sack of potatoes, blood pouring from his face and swearing extremely loudly.

"FUCKKKKK ERIC!" He shouted, holding his nose with both hands, eyes wide, but Eric didn't stop. He couldn't.

All Harvey could remember was feeling actual panic engulf him as Eric threw his foot into Sebastian's head, sending him completely down, before he climbed on top of him, pulling him up by the collar and beginning to beat his face in as if his hand were a mallet. Sebastian's two cronies had gone silent, watching in frozen horror at what they were seeing before Harvey appeared from the upper levels, grabbing onto Eric's arms and hauling him backwards bellowing

"STOP!" At the top of his voice. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!" He yelled at the two cronies standing stock still "Get him up and get him out of here! NOW!" They nodded, finding their friend and trying to see if he was still alive before hauling him up and carrying him out as if he were a rag doll. "Jesus FUCKING Christ!" He shouted letting Eric go and backing away, his hands going to the bridge of his nose. "What was that?!"

"What, you've got a problem with me beating up arseholes now?" Eric said, out of breath and beginning to crunch his fists before he looked down at them to see them shaking. Eric's hands never shook.

"Uh, no, although, I do have a problem with you ALMOST. KILLING HIM."

"Well. I warned him."

"You warned him did you? Oh great. Well, I'm ecstatic. Why the fuck are your hands shaking like that?"

"Adrenalin."

"You just broke a guys jaw! Why you so fucking angry?!"

"Fuck off."

"Eric, fucking tell me-" And Eric suddenly turned on him snarling.

"IT'S NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS HARVEY!"

Eric was a leader, not a follower, and although he had done what he was told when first in dauntless, it had taken him almost no time at all to find his footing as the one giving the instructions and ordering everyone else around.

He was callas and cold and never did anything unless it benefited him in some way, which was the main reason Eric didn't consider himself to have any actual friends. Friendships were another thing that Eric just didn't need in order to function. Sure if it came along and it was useful he wouldn't reject it, but most of the people he'd made any sort of connection with in any possible sense had already died…that was the problem with being dauntless, people just weren't around long enough. Having serious attachments to people was just useless here, and to a man who'd never really needed it anyway, it's was just something unnecessary.

"IS THAT CLEAR?" Eric finished angrily, glaring at Harvey who eyed him up and down, clearly uncertain of what Eric might do.

"Fine then. Fuck you and your problems boss, next time I'll let you kill him." Before he turned on his heel and walked out.

* * *

She was sitting on the edge of one of the walkways that passed as a bridge between two sides of the chasm, her legs dangling over the sides and staring down into the blackness. She felt her fingers tighten around the edge of the walkway and imagined the pale scars on her arms stretching with movement.

"I like his tattoos." She turned her face to look over her shoulder, feeling the vibrations of Luke's voice against her back.

"Yeah?" Luke nodded, his back pressed against hers, legs out across the walkway, facing the opposite direction.

"but he's a bit scary." She felt herself let out a slight laugh, her eyes stinging painfully remembering the argument from last night.

"He'd never hurt you…ever."

"I know." The tone of his voice was so certain, not even a tiny bit worried about it, she wondered what it must be like to be so self-assured. "Is he a policeman?"

"Sort of baby…he protects us."

"From divergents?" She tensed, swallowing and clearing her throat before nudging him off from leaning on her and turning around so that she was facing him.

"Well, no, more just bad people…why do you ask that?" Luke blinked, looking around before looking back towards her.

"…are divergents bad?"

"Well…some of them are, yes."

"Am I a divergent?"

"No honey, no you aren't." she said shaking her head gently and smiling a little, her hand caressing his face.

"So why did Martha say that I was?"

"I honestly don't know baby…but you aren't…you know what you are?" He shook his head, looking up at her with big eyes and she smiled beautifully at him.

"Your mine!" And she leaned forward pressing a kiss to his nose and he giggled.

"Beth!" Both she and Lucas looked up at the voice, seeing Harvey on the other side of the chasm. She blinked with a frown and put up a hand waving at him. He moved quickly, clearly something was bothering him and she pulled herself up to standing as he approached.

"Harvey?"

"Beth, I need you,"

"what why?"

"Eric, I need you to talk to him."

"What's he done." She replied gravely.

* * *

"Eric?" He looked up from where he sat at the sound of her voice and turned around, staring at her as if she was the last thing he wanted to see at that moment.

"What are you doing here?" His eyes then flicked to Harvey who sat on the staircase to their right, watching. Her eyes went to the half drunk bottle of whiskey and she began carefully.

"…Harvey told me what happened and-"

"And what?" He asked pulling a face and shaking his head as if it didn't matter and taking a few steps forwards. She looked towards Harvey nervously "No, don't look at him. I'm asking you, what did he tell you?" His voice was dangerously calm and assertive. She blinked, eyeing him and taking in his tense body language, like a caged animal, agitated and angry…drink fulled.

"That he saw you almost kill someone." Eric smiled, the smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, the smile she didn't like.

"…Did he now?" She swallowed, he looked almost manic, the smile on his face scaring her before he exhaled deeply, "Well Beth, let me enlighten you…I am dauntless, I kill people. That's something you're just going to have to get used too."

"Yeah but not needlessly! Look at your hands Eric!" She exclaimed, drawing her cardigan around herself consciously. He didn't even look down at his bruised and blood covered knuckles.

"I told you before we stared this that I was not a good man-"

"Stop it!" She snapped causing him to blink in surprise.

"You are not a cruel man Eric. Don't you dare deflect from this and do the macho, 'I'm a big man' speech at me! Don't you dare! You're angry! And I know why." She paused looking at him defiantly.

"And why am I angry Beth?" He glared at her.

"Because of me. Because of what I did, but it was a long time ago Eric. You didn't know anything about it and yes, sure, it was something that happened because I felt abandoned, but I'm still here. And I'm not going to do something like that ever again. And not because of you…or my sister…but because of my son. Because I love him with everything in me, and you could leave me, or I could you and it would make no difference…I'm stronger than I was then. I've lived without you once and I'll do it again-"

"Don't you fucking say that." His voice was so dangerously low that she stopped abruptly looking at him.

"What else do you want me to say?!" She exclaimed, suddenly walking forwards and closing the gap between them. "That I'll fall apart if you leave me?! Because yeah, it'll hurt like hell but I'm far more than I was at seventeen Eric…you can count on that."

"What the fuck have you been saying to her?" Eric said suddenly his eyes flicking daggers at Harvey who rolled his eyes and flicked open his lighter lighting a cigarette.

"He's said nothing to me!" She exclaimed, her hand going to his face and caressing his cheek to recapture his attention. "Only that he was worried about what you were going to do!" He was looking at her, intensely before he narrowed his eyes, exhaling and suddenly taking her face in his hands.

"And what makes you think I'd ever let you leave me?" She blinked in surprise, beginning to talk,

"…Eric-" but he cut her off.

"Because I wouldn't." He finished intensely.

"You're frightening me."

"I should do." He replied darkly, and she suddenly let go of him stepping backwards.

"Is that what you want then? Me to be frightened of you?"

"If it makes you stop being such a fool then yes."

"…What is wrong with you?"

"Beth." He said pointedly "This is no longer a discussion I want to engage with. So, I'm going to go back to my boxing and your going to go back to the apartment."

"I won't let you see Luke until we've resolved this." He stared at her,

"He's my son, you can't bar me from him."

"No I can't…but Clarrisa can." The silence around them was deafening but Beth refused to back down.

"…What are you talking about?"

"I tried to slit my own veins open Eric." He seemed to flinch at the words "I wasn't stable Eric. I wanted to die." She paused, swallowing and breathing calmly to restore composure "My sister has legal custody of Lucas and I **will** give him back to her until this is all resolved if need be."

"…You don't have custody of our son?"

"No." She said bluntly "Must I remind you that I was still on anti depressants until relatively recently? I could just about look after myself…it was safer for him that way." He was just staring at her, his face a picture of emotions that she couldn't unravel. He suddenly turned, facing the wall and with everything in him throwing his fist into the concrete with a roar. "ERIC!" She cried, Harvey went to move but she got there first, throwing her arms around his arms and torso to stop him, her cheek pressed against his naked back. "STOP!" He shrugged her off, turning around and shouting,

"I HAVE TORN YOU APART!" He paused, looking almost panic stricken "LOOK!" He suddenly went forwards, tearing her sleeves up over her skin to look at her arms "Look what I've done to you!" And he sunk to his knees, kneeling as if he couldn't stand any longer.

"…Do you want me to leave?" She questioned quietly, "To leave you in peace?" She felt him sigh, his shoulders a mass of bronze skin.

"I'm far to selfish for that…" He slowly stood then, finally looking down at her and shaking his head, his large hands on her hips "Far, far too selfish..." His eyes studied her face, one of his hands going to her hair and tucking the strands behind her ear. "…I want to punish you for this…" He said it as if it surprised even him and tears sprung to her eyes as she looked at him.

"You're confusing me with your initiates…" He closed his eyes, frowning deeply, his head between his shoulder blades, her hand on his cheek."…You know that I have to send him away don't you? To be with Clarissa for a while until we've sorted this out?"

"Where are they?"

"A few have taken refuge on an amity farm, just until it's safe to return the children to erudite…I'll send a message and take him today," She went to move away but he gripped onto her arm, keeping her close and she could feel his breath on her skin and she could smell the drink on him. "And I'll come back…" He swallowed, his jaw locking as he exhaled loudly, clearly thinking.

"I'm coming with you."

"No-"

"I am."

"You know why you can't!" She exclaimed, her eyes wide "I don't want you around him like this…I want him not to be scared of you!" He swallowed, his jaw locking angrily "Fine. But you take him." He pointed at Harvey who said nothing, only watching the scene from his staircase. "And he will bring you back." He said clearly, locking eyes with her. She said nothing, only looking at him with her sad eyes.

"…I think I torment you as much as you do me…"

"Oh you'll be the death of me, I can assure you." He said bitterly and she frowned gently, shaking her head.

"Oh Eric…" He hated her sympathetic tone and his expression showed it. "Stop hitting things…" He let out a laugh despite himself and as she looked at him she realised how much she didn't want to leave him, but Lucas came first…he always came first. She took a step back from him before turning and walking towards the steps. "I'll meet you in the apartment." She said as she passed Harvey who nodded, his eyes trailing on her as she walked up the stairs and away before he switched back to Eric who was now glaring at him.

"Stop watching her." He said suddenly and Harvey frowned violently

"What?" He asked almost as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You heard. Whatever you're poisoning her with…whatever you're telling her…stop." He was challenging him and Harvey knew it.

"Your losing your god damned mind Eric." He said standing up "She's a good woman. Much more than what you deserve…but she's the master of her own fate, it's her decision if she stays or not and if I'm honest mate I don't give a fuck what she does but I'll tell you one thing. If I ever see her with a mark on her, I'll take her back to Erudite myself."

"If you are insinuating that I'd hurt her-"

"Oh mate." He said shaking his head "You've already done plenty of that." And he turned, using the barriers to pull himself up the steps and away, leaving Eric standing in the gloomy room alone.

* * *

"Beth," She looked over her shoulder, still walking as Harvey jogged up behind her, falling into step with her "Beth you need to listen to me and you need to listen now," He took hold of her arm, stopping her mid walk.

"What?" She asked, unable to look at him.

"Do yourself a favour yeah? Take yourself, take your kid, take your life and just get the fuck away from here and from him…" He was looking at her so intently as she met his eyes and she frowned violently, her eyes studying his face "…Eric's the best leader anyone could ever have because he's good at it…he's cold and unfeeling and he makes the best initiates and agents, but you? Fuck me Beth, he will hurt you. He will hurt you bad."

"Harvey-"

"No listen!" He exclaimed, grabbing hold of both of her arms, "You're fucking up his head Beth. Look at him! I've never even seen him drink!" He shook his head "Being that jealous…being that possessive? That isn't **normal.** You're going to amity…use it."

"He'd never hurt me…"

"Really? You trust that 100% do you?" He asked looking at her, both eyebrows raised and she opened her mouth to retort but couldn't find the words. "I'll take whatever I have to and not bring you back if that's what you want...i'm just asking you to seriously think about it...do you want this?"

... _did she?_


	11. Chapter Ten

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Ten

 _Daughter – smother_

 _I'm wasted, losing time_

 _I'm a foolish, fragile spine_

 _I want all that is not mine_

 _I want him but we're not right_

 _In the darkness I will meet my creators_

 _And they will all agree, that I'm a suffocator_

 _I should go now quietly_

 _For my bones have found a place to lie down and sleep_

 _Where all my layers can become reeds_

 _All my limbs can become trees_

 _All my children can become me_

 _What a mess I leave_

 _To follow…._

This was one of those life-defining moments. A single choice, which would affect you and the people closest to you, for the rest of your lives, and as she walked, her hand wrapped around Lucas' tightly, she felt as if everything around her was moving in slow motion. Her breath seemed to be struggling out of her lungs. She could feel Harvey's heavy footsteps behind her, the clunk of his boots contrasting with the light skipping of Luke next to her.

 _What are you going to do Elizabeth?_

Her mothers voice entered her head and she almost felt her eyes close but instead took in a huge breath, the morning light illuminating them as they walked towards the train platform. She almost stopped when she saw Eric. She felt Harvey tense, stopping behind as she stepped towards him.

"…You're here?" She questioned with a whisper, her eyes on his. He looked at her intently for a moment not breaking her eye contact.

"I didn't know how else you were going to get on the train with Luke." She swallowed, realising that he was right…how could she run with Lucas? He stepped forwards, closing the gap between them in the morning light as it shone down between them and she felt his fingers entangle in her free hand for a moment and her breath caught in her throat.

"Hey Luke," He suddenly looked down, letting go of her hand and crouching down to be his sons height. Luke smiled brightly,

"Hi Eric,"

"I need you to do be a big favour, do you think you can?" Luke nodded eagerly, his large eyes on Eric and Eric felt a rare, genuine smile spread across his lips. "You need to promise me that you'll be on my best behaviour in amity…you'll listen to what your aunt tells you to do and most importantly, because I know _your so brave_ …if you see Martha, you'll keep away from her and you'll get whoevers in charge to call me." Beth watched the exchange, she felt an overwhelming sadness wash over her at the mention of Martha. "Do you think you can do that for me?"

"…Did she do something wrong?" Eric thought for a moment, exhaling audibly before smiling a little and ruffling Luke's hair.

"I just need to talk to her…okay?" Beth wondered if there was any truth in that at all. "Can you do that?" He asked, placing a large hand on his shoulder. Luke nodded looking at the man in front of him before frowning a little

"Are you coming on the train with us?"

"No, I've got a lot to do here, I'm just going to help you on."

"…Why?" He asked, his large eyes almost heart breaking.

"You'll be fine Luke. I promise…and Harvey's going anyway, he's way more fun than me." Luke pulled a face of confusion, his eyes glancing up at Beth who gave a small smile before he let go of her hand and leaned forwards, his hand up to Eric's ear to shield his lips, whispering, one small hand on Eric's broad shoulder.

"…I'm a bit scared…" Beth just about heard it "But I don't want my mom to know…because she's scared too." He pulled away a little looking at Eric whose eyes flicked from Luke to Beth and then back to Luke. Beth swallowed, her throat feeling thick.

"Listen to me," He said gently, taking Luke's hands in his and fixing him with a calm look "I will never let anything happen to you, or your mom…amity is safe, that's why you're going."

"But…she's coming back here…"

"She is…" Eric said slowly with a nod "But I'll be here and I wouldn't let anything hurt her…" He paused looking up at Beth "Ever."

"Do you promise?"

"I do." Luke nodded, looking at the ground as if in deep thought before he leaned forwards, clasping his arms around Eric's neck and hugging him. Eric looked so surprised and as if he had no idea how to respond, but after a second or too, he wrapped a strong arm around the boy, hugging him back. Beth felt herself smile, watching Luke pull away from Eric and look at him one last time before he looked behind him to the sound of the train. Eric stood,

"Harvey, can you get Luke on the train?"

"Of course!" Harvey cried, a dazzling smile coming over his face as he ran towards Luke who laughed as Harvey picked him up, swinging him onto his back.

"You ready to be a super hero Luke?!" Harvey asked and Luke yelled 'yeah!'. Eric looked towards Beth who slowly returned his gaze.

"Are you ready?" He asked and she blinked, swallowing nervously, he nodded. They felt the train rush past them suddenly and Harvey took off at a fast paced run, Luke yelling happily on his back. She was running before she could realise she'd started, following Eric who of course could run much faster than her. He jumped on easily, pulling the door open and then swinging around and holding an arm out for her. She looked up at him, her heart beating in her chest before pushing herself forwards and clasping her fingers around his wrist. He lifted her effortlessly into the car and she landed with a light thunk on her knees. She looked up and it looked like he was going to drop off again until she breathlessly cried

"Wait!" and he looked up at her as she crawled forwards, clasping his face in her hands and pressing a kiss to his lips. She drew away with a shaking breath and he blinked, taking in a heavy breath as his eyes traced her lips and then went up to her eyes, his looked dark. And then he let go. She gasped, crawling to the very edge and looking out of the door to see him stand, watching the train, watching her hair streaming back as the carriage took them away.

"…Don't make me come and get you Beth." He said darkly to himself before he suddenly turned, walking back towards dauntless.

* * *

"We need to talk." He was stopped by Max who caught his arm as he walked past and he turned to look at his mentor, shrugging his arm out of his grip.

"What?"

"What's this I'm hearing about an erudite girl?"

"It's none of your concern." He said casually,

"None of my concern huh? Well then why is one of my best men, your second in command no less, escorting a seemingly unimportant erudite girl across the city?" Eric locked eyes with him, inhaling loudly and blinking calmly.

"She's the mother of my son." Max blinked as if he'd not heard Eric correctly.

"I'm sorry," He said with an unbelieving laugh "What did you just say to me?"

"I'm not repeating myself, you heard."

"…when did that happen?"

"Why are we having this conversation Max?"

"Did you think it would just slip my notice? That it wouldn't matter that one of the people that I _put forward for leadership,_ is with an erudite girl and they have a child? You know what that means don't you?"

"Look…your concern is _touching_ , but he's not divergent."

"How can you possibly know that, he's six." Eric shrugged disinterestedly,

"Because I know. My son isn't going to be divergent. Plus I was born in erudite, the likelihood is that's what he'll be."

"You seem to be missing the severity of the situation." Max said, his tone suddenly vicious "As leaders, we are supposed to be model citizens of our factions, men like us do not interbreed!"

"Interbreed?" Eric raised his eyebrows, crossing his arms over his chest "So what do you want me to do?"

"I don't know. And I don't care. But I don't want to hear anything else about it among the ranks."

"You seem to be forgetting that I'm the same rank as you are now Max…and I _really_ don't like being told what I can and can't do." Max looked at him for a long moment

"I don't care just how sexy your piece of ass is…I want you to get rid of her." Max said taking a step towards Eric. Eric suddenly narrowed his eyes, taking another step towards him.

"I'm a very dangerous person to make an enemy out of Max…watch yourself."

"May I remind you that you got to where you are standing because of me… ranking can be taken away as easily as given." Eric let out a smirk,

"That's funny Max…real funny." And Eric turned suddenly then, walking away from the man who watched him, his mind already hatching a plan.

* * *

Beth was sitting in the empty train compartment, their journey to Amity almost at an end, Luke was in her eye line, playing some sort of game with Harvey which Harvey seemed to be losing despite trying relatively hard to win.

The sun was rising high as the afternoon took hold and she could feel it's heat upon her skin and the light breeze in her hair but all she could think about were his hands upon her.

She loved him. If she couldn't say it to him she might as well admit it to herself. Eric was the love of her life, so much so that sometimes it hurt to breathe…it hurt to want him this much. All she could think about were his hands all over her, their time in bed together, in those moments that were so peaceful and so theirs…alone and wonderfully wrapped up in each other. In those moments they moved like one person, one being and she'd never felt more right than when she was in his arms, in his bed. And if it were just her, she'd damn her soul to hell and back for him…to be with him…

But it wasn't just her, and that was the problem. Her eyes focused on her little boy again, watching him smile in the light and she felt such a plunging cold in her chest… _what do I do for you little man? What is right for you?_

She just wanted to do right by him and it made her want to sit there and cry with _how much_ she just wanted to _make him happy_. But why was it that the nearer she went towards Eric, the further she felt from her child? Why did she feel such a disconnect from him when he'd been her only lifeline for so many years?

She exhaled slowly, leaning her head back against the metal car and breathing…simply breathing…thoughts passing through her mind like smoke in the air and she tried to grab at them but they simply slipped through her fingers. _I don't want to leave him...but what is best for Luke. Am I being selfish?_

"Mom." Her eyes snapped open and she found herself looking at Luke who smiled at her warmly and she returned it,

"Hey baby,"

"We're nearly there," She looked up to Harvey who was watching them silently. Luke suddenly took off, bolting down the carriage at a run.

"...what are you going to do then..?" Harvey asked as Luke clattered around the other end of the carriage.

"That is a good question...what do you think I should do Harvey?" Harvey shrugged, leaning back against the metal

"All depends on your kid I guess. But Eric ain't no father figure."

"Because no ones given him the chance to be." Harvey set her with a look.

"As I said before, Eric's a great leader, no question about it...but a father? The guy wouldn't hesitate to shoot you if you were divergent-"

"You know nothing about us Harvey." She said bluntly and Harvey shook his head.

"Jeez you two might well be a match made in heaven." He paused looking at her "Seems to me you've already made up your mind. Why drag this out? It's the possibility of you going that's sending him crazy, if your staying, stay, if your going, go. You make out that he's the heart breaker but you're just as bad."

"It's not that simple, I have a child to think about."

"Pfft, _child to think about._..please, you aren't staying with Eric because of Luke!" He paused again looking down the carriage at Luke who was lying flat on his back, watching the rushing scenes out the window. "Look i'm not judging you,"

"It sure sounds like it..."

"I'm not." Harvey said shaking his head "I'm really not. I'm just saying that you have a choice. Eric's not the centre of the universe...I know it might seem like he is because you love him...but he's not...no one is. Your choices are your choices Beth, but whatever choice it is, stop punishing yourself and don't let it eat you up inside...just live with them...the important word there is 'live'."

* * *

He was currently sitting in the back of a room; stock still with his head leaning against the wall and staring at nothing, mostly everyone avoided his eye line. His arms crossed so tightly over his chest that they looked even bigger than they already were.

"Everyone," everyone's attention turned to Max who entered, followed by a few of his cronies and he walked purposefully to his desk, sitting behind it and glaring at them all. "We have a situation that keeps on getting worse and now I need you to take care of it before it escalates into something that we just can't control anymore." He paused checking they were all listening "Now, Eric shared from information that's is greatly concerning, yesterday afternoon, he saw a man we thought he'd killed and taken out of the picture…most of you will know him by the name Soloman, full name David Soloman, a member of the factionless and known divergent. This man is a danger to not only our way of life but innocent people are dying for his 'pure blood' theories. This is a man who believes that divergents are the future….the only future. He would not hesitate to kill any member of the public that is in a faction and he wants to rid the world of us. An extremist…a man who puts people like Evelyn Jonson to shame and makes her seem like a kitten in comparison." He paused again, his eyes surveying the room. "I am _convinced_ that he was behind the attacks that have been occurring over the last few days. His last movements were recorded by Eric and Harvey and it was mentioned that he seems to be working with this woman, Martha," He paused showing a photograph of Martha "I want a strategy plan developed, we need to find this guy before he does any more damage." The leaders all nodded, their faces determined. "Alright, get to work people."

* * *

She looked down at him.

"I love you."

"I know mom."

"Do you? Do you really know how much I love you?" Luke smiled, a wide grin spreading over his face

"Yes! Because its the same amount i love you!" She smiled, kneeling down and hugging him so tightly.

"You'll be good won't you?"

"Yep. I promised Eric remember?" She smiled again, clearing his hair out his eyes

"Yes I remember..." She paused looking up at the figures of Clarissa and Tyler who stood, their children around them. "Go play with your cousins for a moment? I need to talk to your aunt and uncle." Luke nodded, running after Clarissa and Tyler's daughter's with a shout.

"...Clarissa-" She began wearily

"I don't want to hear it Lizzie." she said bluntly, hoisting her toddler onto her hip. "I really don't."

"It's just for a few days, I need to work through this with Eric." Clarissa let out a wicked laugh, scornful and angry.

"It's alright Lizzie, as always i'll clear up your messes...your abandoning your child for him."

"I'm not abandoning Lucas. This is important...you know it is, he's Luke's father."

"No. No, Gregory is Luke's father." Beth rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"No he isn't! Just because you wanted me to marry him, doesn't mean he's Luke's father!"

"Well there's nothing we can do about that now is there...you chose your path and like you always do, you'll take it."

"I love him Clarissa."

"You deserve what you get." Her tone was so cold that it actually hurt and Beth only sighed gently.

"I love you too by the way."

"Just go." Clarissa turned away with her baby, walking back over to her children and leaving Beth to stand with Tyler.

"She'll get over it." He said bluntly "She'll get over it...it's just the death thing that riles her up you know."

"Yeah, thanks for referring to my suicide attempt as the 'death thing' Tyler." she deadpanned and he nodded, pulling a face.

"...sorry."

"Look after him won't you?"

"Ah, You know I will. Don't have a son of my own so...always love spending him with Luke." He paused "I'm kinda overrun by women." She looked at him for another moment awkwardly before nodding

"Bye Tyler." And walked towards Luke who saw her coming and ran at her, jumping as he met her and she caught him, lifting him into a hug. "Be good...I love you."

"I love you!" He said kissing her again and again on the cheeks

"I'll be back soon, it's just a few days i promise."

"I know...it's okay." She pulled out of their hug for a moment and looked him in the eye.

"You're an incredible little boy do you know that Lucas?" He smiled, wrapping his arms around her neck once again and hugging her so close.

* * *

She wasn't altogether sure how to get off of the train. Harvey had gotten off a stop earlier because it was nearer to his apartment and she'd said he was fine to go but now she thought about it, she had no idea how the hell she'd build up the courage to jump. She looked out of the train, holding onto the railing and seeing the rooftop approaching. She took in a huge breath, summoning her courage and closing her eyes before stepping backwards and without even thinking, running and throwing herself out of the train and towards the roof. She landed, slamming into the brickwork and slipping, her legs over the side. Panic engulfed her and she scrabbled with her boots to try and pull herself up but suddenly and without warning she felt hands grab onto her wrists and she looked up to see him.

"Eric!" She said with a smile but he only glared at her.

"What did you think you were doing?"

"How else was I supposed to get off the train?!"

"...You wait till the end of the line!" He exploded angrily, exasperated with her "This is for dauntless initiates!"

"This is where Harvey told me to get off." She huffed "Can you pull me up?!" He narrowed his eyes before hauling her over and letting her stumble so she hit his chest. He cocked his head to the side looking at her.

"You know people have died doing that?" She blinked up at him, looking over her shoulder at the brick behind her and then slowly back up at him "Never again." He growled and she swallowed nodding.

"Don't have a go at Harvey for that..."

"Harvey forgets that not everyone is dauntless born like him, but he needs to remember so yes, i'll kick his ass for it later."

"Eric-"

"He's my second in command and he deals with civilians, he's got to remember information like that." He finished bluntly and she knew it was the end of the conversation. She realised after a moment that they were still standing with their arms around each other and she looked up at him.

"Why are you here?" He exhaled audibly, his eyes traveling over her face.

"I heard what train you were getting back...I guessed something like this might happen. Harvey's an idiot." She would have laughed but what had happened last night was burned into her memory.

"...Are you alright?" He cocked an irritated eyebrow

"Apart from seeing you leap out of a moving train? Yeah fine." His blunt, sarcastic tone made her purse her lips.

"Eric..." She trailed off "You know we have to talk about what happened." He suddenly let go of her, stepping backwards.

"What is there to talk about?"

"Don't shut me out." He let out a laugh then, but the smile didn't reach his eyes

"Don't look at me with those eyes of yours Beth. I don't have the kind of feelings you do. Rage is the main uncontrollable action to my emotional spectrum."

"...And I thought all the erudite had been beaten out of you..." He raised an eyebrow, his eyes suddenly cool,

"It has..." His voice was low and husky and he reached out for her, his hand around the back of her neck "I like being _inside_ erudite though." She gasped as he pulled her forwards, pressing his lips hungrily to hers and she made a sound of discomfort but he didn't let go.

"Stop!" She cried, pushing him backwards and putting her hand up to her bruised lips. "We need to talk?"

"Talk about what?" He advanced towards her and she almost stumbled backwards

"You, me...what I did and how you feel about it-!"

" _Feel?_ " He said darkly "Oh i'll show you how I _feel_ about it." and he suddenly grabbed her, lifting her up and sitting her on one of the ledges of the roof top. She gasped as she nearly slipped backwards from the sheer force he'd thrown her onto the concrete, grabbing for the collar of his coat as he grabbed onto her thighs and she looked down behind her to see a huge hole in the ceiling of the roof below them, a horrifyingly high, dark drop. "You wanna know?!"

"Know?!" She exclaimed, looking down at the drop and then back at him, her eyes wide

"Yeah, you wanna know how it felt being told that? About how you cut your own arms open and wanted to die?"

"I-"

"Well do you?!" He pressed and she blinked looking at him, her breath catching in her throat.

"Yes!" He nodded, his warm hands on her tights, holding her in place.

"You want to know how it felt...how if feels to see you...throw yourself into situation after situation where you might get hurt or killed?" His voice was lower now and he looked down, suddenly his hands, still tight on her thighs moved up, his thumbs stroking the outter, sensitive lines of her and she felt a intense twinge and tensed, gasping sharply as he raised an eyebrow and looked up at her through his eye lashes, her fingers tightening around his jacket. "...It's like being pushed off a ledge." He suddenly shoved her, throwing all his strength into lifting her up and over the wall and she screamed, terrified as she plummeted downwards towards the dark hole and thinking about how this was a horrible way to die, how Eric had actually killed her when she hit something, a net catching her and she bounced up, her body contorting horrible and turning mid fall so she was face down. She rose up and down a few times before she lay still in the net, her entire body shaking, her breath rigid and frightened before she felt the net being pulled and she rolled down to meet whoever had pulled it down, her hands still in front of her face.

"Beth." She stared by making a sound, a high pitched sound that turned ever so slowly into a shriek and she threw herself at him, catapulting herself off of the net and hitting him with everything she had.

"FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU YOU ASSHOLE! FUCK YOU!" And she was screaming at him again and again and they were on the floor, scrabbling around on it before he grabbed her wrists, managing to force her weight over, her back on the floor and straddling her waist. She looked up at him thunderstruck with rage.

"THAT'S HOW IT FEELS." He said loudly in her face and she lay, her heart pounding in her throat, tears streaming down the sides of her face

"Get off of me." she said, her voice low.

"No."

"I SAID GET OFF!"

"NO! YOU ASKED! YOU ASKED ME HOW IT FELT! HERE'S YOUR DAMN ANSWER!"

"I HATE you!"

"Well that's just a lie isn't it?" He said, unimpressed with her insult. She growled, trying to force her wrists up from underneath his hands but he was far stronger than her. "Come on, you can do better than that." His voice was smooth, egging her on to be aggressive.

"You're sick! You're a crazy, violent sadist!" She spat, her eyes so wide he thought they might come out of her head "I SHOULDN'T HAVE COME BACK!" And he laughed, watching her as she gasped for breath, apparently so angry that she was shaking.

"...but you did...didn't you?" She blinked, angry tears pooling in her eyes and still pouring down the sides of her face. "Why's that?"

"Oh you're so full of it-" She glowered, unable to stop trying to get him off of her.

"I asked you a question."

"You can take your question and shove it up your ass!"

"I love you." She stopped, her entire body freezing instantly and she stared at him. His eyes took in her features, the lines of her face and her mouth, her nose and her eyes, the way she stared up at him in complete and utter shock.

"...You shove me off of a building...and then tell me that you love me?" Her voice cracked, clearly strained at the situation.

"Sorry, did you want dinner and a card?"

"Currently, I want to strangle you." she said, her voice so low, her eyes flashing wildly and he smiled, letting out a lightly amused laugh.

"And I want to do a lot of things to you, but unfortunately, I can't do them here."

"If you don't get off of me right now, you're going to have problems fucking anything ever again." He heeded her this time but with a slight smirk as he got up off of her and she swallowed, slowly pushing herself up to her feet, her legs still shaking. They almost gave way beneath her but he caught her, holding onto her wrists and looking into her eyes as she stared up at him. "You're unhinged..."

"And what does that make you..." He sighed, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear, his eyes studying her face once more.

"Worse." She replied thickly, tears clouding her eyes "Never do that again." He exhaled gently, taking her face in his hands.

"I knew there was a net at the bottom Beth." She swallowed, her eyes wide.

"But I didn't."

"I'm not going to apologise to you."

"I'd expect nothing less." She said gritting her teeth.

"Good." He raised an eyebrow "Now I need you to know something...every time, every. single. time, that you decide to endanger yourself like you have been over the past couple of days, I will punish you in some way or another. This was one way-"

"What?! Scaring me into a cardiac arrest-?!" She began hitting him but he caught her arms.

"Yes." He paused, his other hand running down her waist "Because I don't take kindly to people disobeying orders."

"I'm not one of your soldiers Eric!" She hissed defiantly.

"Oh i'm _well aware._..and in fact, it's worse for you, because you're _mine."_ And she shrieked as he yanked her forwards, ducking and letting her stomach hit his shoulder as he lifted her. "To do with as I please."

"ERIC!" She shrieked as he began walking and she struggled against him, throwing her fists into his back but he either didn't really notice or didn't care.

"Mistake number one. Sending our son away." He let out a laugh "You're now alone with me when I was already angry with you." He was exiting the building, walking through the night towards his apartment building. "Mistake number two. Pissing me off." He paused again "but then Beth, you just know how to irritate me don't you?" She growled at him, hitting him again as he entered the building, walking towards the cargo lift "Mistake number three. Siding with Harvey over me...and that's a big one."

"I'm not going to just agree with you if I think someone else is right you stubborn ass!" He pulled the lever up and they rose through the building, up towards his apartment.

"Oh that's fine Beth, but just know this. When it comes to decisions over your safety, that's not his damn department!" and he suddenly put her down, slamming her into the cage walls and kissing her, his lips over her like fire and she responded, tugging at him to get him closer.

"Come on Eric," She breathed as he kissed at her neck, lifting her whole body off the floor, her legs wrapping around him "Show me the reason I came back here." And she closed her eyes, feeling as if she were unraveling.

* * *

 **Hey heyyyyy! Sexy stuff hey? Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who reviewed, so appreciated, it honestly helps with writing new chapters. And Elliemeow, thanks so much for the proper in depth review, so helpful to find out what people think about characters etc.**

 **Thanks everyone! Hope you enjoyed and they've still got a lot to come.**


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Hello all, no major changes, I just altered the end of the chapter a little.**

* * *

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Eleven

She felt like she could fall asleep, never wake again and be content in his arms...but there was still a part of her that couldn't get used to the idea of him still being there when she woke up. She kept expecting to find him gone for good, but she supposed that was because of what had happened in the past, it would just take her some time to realise he wasn't going anywhere...but that's what they were doing, they needed this time to trust one another again. They had not yet broached the subject of her suicide attempt, but sometimes when they were in bed she'd find his fingers silently tracing her scars, his eyes scanning them with a small frown almost as if he were trying to laser them off.

His protective tendencies seemed to have heightened since he'd found out about her arms, if that were even possible. But it was in strange ways like when she'd been holding knives, chopping vegetables, she'd see him staring at the blade as if she was about to pick it up then and there and slash her arms open. And he was gentler with her, almost as if he were scared of hurting her sometimes. She would try to reassure him, show him she was fine but _something_ , however small it seemed, had changed.

* * *

She was sitting in the bath, the warm water soothing her sore skin and aching legs. She was leaning on the edge of the bath, her eyes watching him shave, taking in every aspect of him and the way he moved. His eyes flicked to hers in the mirror as he wiped the shaving foam off the razor and brought it back up to his skin, and he paused.

"What..." He murmured and she blinked, realising she'd be staring. She looked at him for a moment before exhaling gently and shifting in the water, the drips from her arms echoing around her.

"...I want to go into Erudite today." His eyes were sharp and he blinked before going back to his shaving and finishing off, washing his face and putting the razor in a draw. She realised, almost with irritation, that he put it in a draw with a lock.

"You know that's not an option." He lifted the towel, drying his face and turning to look at her, leaning on the edge of the sink.

"There hasn't been an attack in a few days...and I only want to see the school, I need to see how everyone's doing..." He exhaled audibly, pushing off the sink and slowly stepping towards her where he crouched down, leaning his elbows over the edge of the bathtub so that his face was inches from hers.

"Beth...we talked about this-"

"I know," She said calmly "And I understand that. I don't want to do anything unsafe and I won't..." She said, her fingers looping around his as he watched her face intently "It's just that I know your going on patrol there soon..." She trailed off, her eyes flicking up warily to his.

"And you thought you could come along?" He said calmly, his eyes boring into hers.

"I...well...look, this is important and it wouldn't have to be long, i've just got to pick up some things and see a few people and i'll stick to the main hall so that-" He kissed her, leaning over the edge of the bathtub, his hand to her cheek and she gasped a little in shock, closing her eyes as he ran his teeth over her lip and pulled gently before slowly, agonisingly slowly, he pulled over so slightly away.

"You were saying?" He questioned, his eyes on her. She felt that her heart had skipped a beat.

"...I wish you...wouldn't do that," She breathed, feeling his hot breath on her skin "It's...extremely distracting."

"Hm..." She finally opened her eyes, pulling herself together and met his gaze. He wasn't smiling.

"I'm not having this conversation again Beth..." He trailed off firmly and her heart sank. She opened her mouth to protest but he locked his jaw, shaking his head "There's no way." She felt her own eyes downcast, chewing on her lip. "I'll go and find out whatever you need to find out but it's not safe enough for you to set foot in erudite yet."

"But will it ever be?" She asked with a small frown, her eyes flicking back up to his "...will you ever be fine with me going back?" He said nothing in reply, instead only choosing to look at her as if he could tell her what he really thought without words.

"I have to go...i'll be back probably about mid day...stay out of trouble." Sometimes she felt like a scolded child and she hated it. But despite that she nodded and he pressed a kiss to her forehead, standing up and leaving the bathroom with her alone.

* * *

She was sitting on the edge of the chasm, watching her feet dangle over the edge, she was thinking, not really paying attention, mainly about her night with Eric and how there were still so many things they needed to talk about. But Eric wasn't really one for talking, he was more...physical. But they needed to have this conversations, however difficult they might be and she needed to have them soon, she didn't want to be without Lucas for too long, he was her son and he belonged with her.

She felt guilty about leaving him sometimes but she realised that as much as she loved Luke, she wanted to make this work with Eric, she had to at least try, he was the father of her child...and at least if they couldn't be together for whatever reason, at least there would be water under the bridge, nothing unsaid anymore. Well...that was the theory anyway.

"Hey." She started, turning around and looking over her shoulder at a man. He was young, maybe Eric's age, tall and fit but not built like Eric, he was leaner, slighter but he looked just as strong. "You Elizabeth Green?" She blinked in surprise at someone using her full name, that hardly ever happened.

"...Yes, I am?"

"You don't sound too sure." He said, his face remained serious but there was a glint of sarcasm, almost humor behind his eyes.

"No, I am." she said pushing herself up and wiping her dusty hands on her blue skirt. He approached, stopping in front of her.

"I've got a letter for you,"

"...Do I know you?" She asked bewildered.

"No." He replied bluntly before taking the envelope out of the inside of his jacket and handing it to her. She frowned, taking it and looking at the hand writing on the front.

"Whose it from?" She asked looking up but to her amazement he's already walked away, around the corner and then he was gone. She blinked at how strange that had seemed to be, before shrugging and opening the envelope.

 _Lizzie,_

 _I hope this letter finds you and Lucas safe and well. I have not seen you in the last week and a half since that night at the hospital, I was beginning to worry, I called round several times to your sisters but you were otherwise engaged. I then got news that you were in dauntless with Eric, and although it worries me somewhat that you are in his company once again, I recognise that he is the father of your child (something I worked out some time ago but did not have the heart to ask you about it) and over qualified to keep you and Lucas safe which brings me nothing but thankfulness. But I do not write just to enquire about you. I have received some distressing news._

 _Martha seems to have gotten herself into some serious trouble. I do not know the details and I do not know quite when it all happened, all I do know is that she is on trial to be sentenced for treason, the end result of that you already know. They will not let me in to see her, I am not even allowed to send her a message and I am frightened for her Lizzie, I truly am. I write to ask you to come to me in erudite at my office, where we will go to Janine and beg for her to take up the case personally and to find out exactly what is going on. I know Jeanine to be a reasonable and fair woman and I am sure she will listen to the both of us._

 _I have left this letter in the hand of a trusted friend and if you should ever need any help in dauntless, he is the man to find...he is not always forth coming with his help but if you explain to him, I am sure he would do anything for justice. His name is Four._

 _I hope with everything in me that I will see you soon._

 _Yours affectionally,_

 _Gregory._

She felt everything in her seize suddenly as if pain had suddenly spread through her body. Treason? Martha? She had done nothing wrong but try to take Luke but Beth recognised now that her judgement wasn't clouded by anger that she had just wanted what was best. And even so, Martha had been her friend for so many years, how could she even think of deserting her now?

She moved quickly, clutching the letter in her hand and running down the corridor in search of the man, Four, who'd given her the letter. She passed a few members of dauntless on her way that didn't even give her a passing glance. She finally found him, winding his way down a dark corridor before she called out,

"Four!?" He stopped, casting a glance over his shoulder and looking at her, his eyes scanning her up and down, his face unmoving.

"What." He replied deadpan. She moved down the corridor, looking up at him.

"Did Gregory himself give you this?" Four nodded, turning to give her his full attention, "Do you know anything about my friend Martha? She's been arrested, for treason-"

"Yes."

"Please!" she said suddenly taking hold of his arms which caused him to frown, his eyes flicking from her hands on his arms to her face "Tell me everything you know!"

* * *

She ran into the embassy, stopping short to catch her breath and then going for the lifts, punching in Gregory's floor number and taking in gasping breaths, her eyes fixed on the glowing numbers as it rose. The doors finally opened after what seemed like an age and she burst out, accidentally running into someone, apologising and then skidding to halt outside a door which she opened without delay. He turned at the sound of the door and for a moment he seemed almost stunned.

"...Lizzie," He breathed as if he hadn't seen her in over a decade and a smile split over his face as he shut the file he was holding and closed the space between them in a few strides before lifting her into his arms and turning a whole 360 degrees. "You came!"

"Of course!" She exclaimed as he put her down, his eyes searched her features hurriedly.

"Was Four of any help?"

"Yes, he really was, he told me the fastest way to get here, did you know that he knew about Martha?"

"He did?" Gregory returned with a frown "Of course, Four knows more than I care to think about."

"How do you know him?"

"He has to come and see me sometimes, work related stuff...anyway, tell me, what's Martha supposedly done?" He asked hurriedly, turning her out of the way before closing the door to his office and stepping closer to her, his grey eyes latching onto hers.

"Well..." She swallowed, closing her eyes and biting her lip for a moment "Okay, first you have to understand what happened to me." He nodded, encouraging her to go on "Lucas was kidnapped by Martha-"

"What?!" He exclaimed but she waved her hands silencing him.

"But she was doing it to keep him safe. She thought he wasn't because of Eric...she thinks he's divergent." Gregory's face paled considerably but he remained silent "Which he isn't...but she is," She heard Gregory take in a short amount of breath, shocked "I...I don't know how to feel about that. It's complicated but anyway, she's being associated with the bombings...I have no idea whether she is divergent or not, but I know one thing, and that is that Martha would never hurt innocent people. Never in a million years."

"I am with you on that...we need to go to Jeanine, we need to explain that we know her and that she needs to intervene."

* * *

They found themselves in Jeanine's office, waiting. Her's was only a few floors up from Gregory's much smaller version and they sat behind the desk, waiting. The doors finally opened and both automatically look to the doors to see her, Janine. She smiled, a thin, but not unwelcoming smile, taking a file from one of her assistants who closed the door behind them as she walked to her desk.

"Hello, what can I do for you both?"

"Ms Mathew's, my name is Gregory Cooke and this is-"

"Elizabeth Green." Beth blinked in surprise, how did Jeanine know her?

"...yes," Gregory said with a slight frown, clearly thinking the same thing but shrugging it off as he shook her hand, Beth did the same, looking at her in surprise. When Jeanine took her hand, Beth found that Jeanine seemed to look at her for an extended amount of time, perhaps a few more seconds than what would be considered normal when you first met someone. "Ms Mathew's," Gregory said again as all three sat down, "we're come to ask you to help our friend, Martha Price, she's being held-"

"Ah...Martha Price..." Jeanine said slowly "Sad...sad that she'd turn on her faction like that but then, I suppose what do you expect of a divergent?"

"See, me and Lizzie have both known Martha for years and we know she just isn't capable of killing innocent people,"

"And you want to help her?" Jeanine said with a nod, watching them both. Gregory and Beth nodded enthusiastically.

"Divergent or not...she...she's not a bad person." Beth said, Gregory flashed a look at her and Jeanine stared at her for a long moment.

"What she means is, despite her flaw of being 'divergent', we know her to be completely harmless...perhaps that is just a fluke." Gregory said with a shurg, clearly unable to understand the situation himself.

"I see." Jeanine exhaled gently, pressing the tips of her perfectly trimmed nails together and looking over them both "I find your courage in coming here today commendable, I can promise you that I am already _personally_ looking into this case and, if anything Martha will doubtfully end up being executed," Both Gregory and Beth breathed a sigh of relief and Beth felt Gregory suddenly take her hand. "Whatever the outcome of her trial."

"That is wonderful, wonderful news, thank you,"

"My pleasure." Jeanine said, again with her thin smile. "Now, if you will remain here for a few moments, we just need to get you to fill out some paperwork...about coming to my office, just for administration purposes."

"Of course," Both Gregory and Beth said with enthusiastic nods. Jeanine nodded, standing up and leaving the office. As the door closed both suddenly stood from their chairs and embraced. "I'm so relieved!" Gregory breathed, his eyes closed and arms so tightly around her.

"Me too, it's a miracle, it really is." Beth swallowed, exhaling slowly to calm her speeding heart as she pulled away and sat back down.

Jeanine seemed to be away for some time, but neither noticed as they instead caught up and Beth explained all that had happened and Gregory told her how he escaped any injuries during the attacks. For a moment Beth felt like none of the intensely emotional things that had happened over the last few days had actually happened and it was nice to talk to a friend...even if they had gone on one date, but he seemed to understand her and Eric, a subject which she touched upon but didn't go into much detail with.

They were half way through a conversation about Lucas when the doors reopened and in came Jeanine,

"Gregory, Elizabeth, if you could step this way please?" Beth smiled, nodding and getting out of her seat, quick on Gregory's heels. "Oh, Beth, one moment, could you fetch me that file on my desk?" Beth nodded, turning back and walking towards the desk. She grabbed it, turning around and beginning to walk back. She glanced down as she did so, her eyes absentmindedly scanning the name on the file. **Elizabeth Green**. She stopped, blinking down at the file and suddenly looked up, frowning at Jeanine who smiled, that cold, not quite there smile of hers. Jeanine stepped aside and as Gregory reached the doors, someone else suddenly reached in, pairs of hands grabbing him and yanking him out as he shouted out. She stopped, her eyes widening in shock, her lips parting as she looked up to Jeanine whose eyes flicked to her.

 _She called you Beth._

Realisation hit her like a gunshot and the file dropped from her hands as she began to run towards the door.

"NO!" she shouted, reaching out her hand as Jeanine raised an eyebrow and swung the door shut with a click. "NO!" She shouted again, sliding into the door and seizing the handle, rattling it to open the door which had very obviously been locked. She paused for a moment and to her complete horror she could hear Gregory on the other side, her drawn out, staggered cries of a man being beaten. She stepped away from the door for a moment, her hands to her face as tears sprung to her eyes.

"LIZZIE!" She heard his half cry and she threw herself at the door, screaming at them to let her out, throwing her hands into the door and screaming with everything in her, gripping onto her hair as she heard the last of his cries as he was dragged away and she felt her breath leave her suddenly as she collapsed to the floor, her hands pushed to her face.

* * *

 **Sorry I went away for a while! I'm writing my dissertation at the moment which is obviously a lot less fun than this. ANYWAY, hope you liked this chapter, more to come I promise. I've gotten some amazing reviews and follows and the like from this which have been amazing, thanks for your support, hope you're still enjoying it.**

 **N.B I did in fact change the end a little here, sorry about that, just makes the next chapter a bit more interesting.**


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Massive sorry for being away for so long, I had to finish my design project before the deadline but that's all over now! I changed the end of the last chapter a little, sorry but it makes more sense with where i'm going to go with it. Anyway, back to the story!**

* * *

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Twelve

She sat in the middle of the room, surrounded by pieces of paper and photographs that documented her life from about the age of 16. Everything. Everything was in here. From doctors reports about her mental health, things about Luke and even more chillingly, some pieces of paper had notes in handwriting, _directions to put in place_. And she knew that writing...she knew his writing off by heart. She felt numb. Like nothing truly made sense any longer. It wasn't that he'd lied to her because he hadn't, but he hadn't quite made clear the extent of these 'reports' and like a naive idiot, she'd not asked.

For a moment then Gregory popped into her head and she felt her eyes burn horribly and her throat seize. She was so scared for him and she had no idea what it was she could do. As soon as she could find Four she would, she needed to get this information to someone who would help him.

She heard the lock go and turned her attention to the door, standing up as quickly as possible and stepping out of her circle of information. At first she thought it might be Jeanine, but it wasn't. She stared at them for a long moment, her eyes flicking from one to the other as they stared at her, eyes dead set and cold. She swallowed sharply.

They advanced quickly and she was screaming, fighting against these two men as they lunged at her but they were so strong and their hands hurt her and as she was dragged into the foyer, another marched up towards her and she let out a scream of pure fear as he tugged a black bag over her head and she could see nothing. Her hands were then dragged behind her back and cuffed together, she struggled fruitlessly, trying to get them to let her go as they marched her somewhere, she could see nothing, all she could do was scream and cry and stick her heels into the ground so that it was hard for them to drag her.

Finally she was pulled outside, the change in temperature obvious, almost loosing her footing as she was hauled down some steps and she felt them lift her and her feet scraping the concrete steps as they walked down and then she was thrown into something. The floor beneath her was hard and vibrating and it took her only a moment to realise she was in a van or truck of some sort. There was a loud bang as the van was slammed shut and she was plunged into total darkness, and for the first time in her life, Beth felt real fear.

* * *

She was dragged out suddenly, her feet not even touching the ground as the hands dragged her effortlessly somewhere, she was so terrified that everything seemed to have stopped working. They had been in the vehicle a good hour or so and her imagination only told her what awaited her as her fate. She'd read about things like this in her books...she never once thought that it would happen to her. She could hear screaming metal, heavy doors shutting and people talking, their voices harsh and mean. Everything in her screamed that she didn't want to be in here and she needed to get out.

"Where am I?! Who are you?! Let go of me please! I haven't done anything wrong!" She wailed hopelessly "I have a child!" But after that she was suddenly taken on a sharp right, and lead into a room and sat down in a chair. Then the presence of the two people was gone and the sound of a door shut behind her.

It was quiet. Far too quiet. All she could do was listen to the quiet, rasping sound of her own breathing. And then she knew, someone, someone was there. Without warning they began to lift the black hood from her head and she began screaming, trying to scrabble backwards away from them as far as she possibly could when she heard her name.

"Beth." She gasped for breath again as she looked up into eyes she'd seen before and suddenly his face was in focus and there he stood...Harvey.

"Harvey?!" She exclaimed, he blinked slowly, his face impassive and unreadable.

"Beth. Do you understand what's happening?"

"Does it look like I do?!" She half yelled, glaring up at him. He suddenly closed his eyes, shaking his head irritably and then stepping forwards suddenly, his hand shooting out to the back of her chair, and with a jolt pushing it backwards so that it was now only on it's back legs, the only thing keeping it from falling backwards and crushing her hands being Harvey himself. His face was millimetres away from hers.

"That attitude won't get you anywhere. You want to survive this? You corporate." He finished bluntly and she frowned desperately,

"Survive?!" She exclaimed but he ignored her, the chair clunking forwards onto all it's four legs once again. "Where's Eric?!"

"Eric doesn't get a say anymore."

"What do you mean?!"

"This is out of his hands. Listen to me Beth, Eric cannot help you. There is nothing he can do to stop this from happening."

"Stop what from happening?! What's going on?!"

"Are you in league with Martha and David Soloman?"

"What?! No!" She answered, appalled

"You are aware of who this man is then?" He questioned, his arms crossed over his chest.

"I know he is with the factionless yeah!"

"Okay. So how do you know who he is?" She stared at him, his eyes bored into hers.

"...I don't understand?"

"The question is simple Elizabeth. How do you know who David Soloman is?"

"Because he tried to take my child from me! You were there! Everyone knows who he is!"

"No, see, _that_ ," He stated pointing at her "No one knows who he is, only certain dauntless members, so how in the hell do you know who he is?" She frowned gently, blinking

"I...I don't know, I just heard it around Erudite and dauntless, people talk..."

"What people?" He shrugged, his face still unreadable. "Because me and Eric have not said that name in front of you."

"I don't know, people from work? The town?! I don't understand why you're doing this! We went to talk to Jeanine about Martha! She's my friend and I don't want her to die!" He looked at her for a long moment.

"I don't think your comprehending just about how serious the situation you are in is."

"Oh really?! You don't think I comprehend it? I'M TIED TO A CHAIR!"

"From what I hear that's just your and Eric's idea of foreplay." She blanched bright red, her body suddenly tense and she stared at him. She didn't miss the slight, cruel smirk on his face. He finally smiled, a cool smile which was meant to be comforting but wasn't, so unlike him, and he crouched down in front of her. "Look. I don't really believe your mixed up in anything, I just want truthful answers from you...I just want some..." He paused, his eyes suddenly scanning up her body "Clarity..." The tone of his voice had changed, smoother, different...and she frowned violently as his hand was suddenly on her knee. "Do you understand what i'm saying?" Her mouth hung open in shock as she stared at him.

"Oh my God, get off of me." She whispered breathlessly, almost amazed about what was happening.

"Come on Beth, I heard that you like...well..." He paused with a smirk, his hand slowly running up her thigh and she took in a sharp breath, pushing herself back as far as she could in the chair to try and get away from him as he leaned forwards, his face inches from hers. "it rough." She was suddenly screaming, utter terror and rage filling her as she tried to kick him, planting her foot hard in his thigh, narrowly missing something _much more important_ and he cursed angrily, hissing at her before throwing the back of his hand into her face with a harsh slap.

A light in the room suddenly went off with a loud BEEP. He stopped his head snapping up to the camera in the room which had a red light on it which was glowing angrily. She was breathing harshly, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she stared at him. He looked back at her, his large, dark eyes burrowing into hers.

"Duty calls." He said with a motion of his head before smirking and pushing himself off of the chair and to the door. As soon as he'd left she felt her body convulse, shuddering all over and she closed her eyes for a moment, trying to move her wrists but they were tied tight.

* * *

She was being walked down a corridor, almost half dragged, the ropes that bound her cutting into her skin sharply. She was walked around a corner and stopped, her shoes skidding on the clean, waxed floors before she was walked into a room and made to stand. She let her eyes travel around the room, it was clean, white, clinical. She was facing a mirror, looking at her own reflection. She took in a sharp breath seeing the purple bruise on her cheek from where Harvey had hit her, she also had a split lip, she'd wondered at the time when she'd tasted blood if it were the inside of her cheek but she'd been wrong.

Suddenly someone grasped her hands and she jumped, looking over her shoulder and then feeling them unlock the hand cuffs they'd put on her. She finally pulled them in front of her, rubbing the raw skin and trying to regain the feeling in her fingers. And then the light changed, dimming in the room and she looked over her shoulders at the guards who stared straight ahead and then the mirror changed, fading so that she could see into another room, audio echoing into where she stood.

"And so you were trying to implicate Elizabeth?"

"What?! No!" Her eyes widened seeing Gregory and she took in a sharp intake of breath, tears searing at her eyes at the state of him as she pushed her hands to her mouth "I wasn't trying to implicate anyone, I was trying to find out what was happening to my friend!" He was on his knees, dried blood around cuts on his forehead and cheeks, staining his white shirt and he looked as if he'd been beaten within an inch of his life. A woman stood before him, slowly circling him, her tone sharp.

"Your friend? Martha?"

"Yes...Martha-"

"A divergent?" She watched him pale considerably

"Yes...I suppose she is."

"And are you a divergent sympathiser?"

"No!"

"Well you seem like it to me."

"I'm not! I just don't want her to die!"

"And Elizabeth?"

"What about Elizabeth?!" His voice was ragged "What have you done to her?! She is alright?!" He attempted to get up but her hands slammed into his shoulders, shoving him back down to his knees.

"Elizabeth is being interrogated too." She watched Gregory close his eyes, his voice breaking

"Have you been doing to her what you've been doing to me?"

"What do you think?"

"Your all evil. Dauntless...what a joke, you don't protect anyone, you hurt innocent women!" He snarled angrily at her. The woman stopped for a moment before suddenly she hit him, her fist impacting his face and he let out a cry of pain and then when he was down she kicked him _in the head_ , again and again.

"STOP!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, running to the glass and shrieking as she slammed her hands into it "STOP!" she cried helplessly, throwing her palms into the window again and seeing Gregory coughing up blood as his head was sent in an unnatural direction, the woman's foot slamming into him again and again and again "NO!" She shrieked, arms of the guard wrapping around her and dragging her backwards as she screamed his name.

"TELL ME WHERE DAVID SOLOMAN IS!" She screeched at him.

"I DON'T KNOW! I DON'T KNOW!" Gregory shouted back, Beth could hear everything as she fought against the people that held her, her forehead being forced back so that she had to watch.

"YOUR LYING TO ME GREGORY!"

"I'M NOT!" But without even a hesitation she slammed the heel of her boot down on Gregory's hand and he let out a scream of pure pain which was echoed by Beth as it broke with a horrifying crunch. They stilled for a moment, everyone watching what was happening, even the guards holding her holding their breath. Beth watched as he squirmed on the floor.

"Come on Gregory...we know your on the resistance" She purred and Beth watched as he slowly looked up at her through matted hair, trying to push himself up with his other hand. He was bleeding badly. "Just tell me what I need to know..."

"He doesn't know anything!" She whimpered, letting out a sound of frustration as she tried to fight off the guards holding her. "He isn't part of anything!"

Gregory suddenly stilled, and Beth looked at the glint in his eye, a glint of knowing as he let out a laugh and shook his head "Go to hell you ugly bitch." She blinked in surprise, never having heard him speak like that to anyone and the woman smirked before stamping her foot down again on his broken hand and as he screamed out in pain again, his head back in tortured pain, as she drew out a gun and fired straight into his head.

Beth stared. The room now deafeningly quiet. She couldn't breathe as she stared at his body, lifeless and beaten...dead. She was suddenly stood up, still staring at the body on the other side of the glass, her mouth hung open, breaths coming from her in starts. She barely noticed them handcuffing her again but in front of her this time but then everything seemed to fast forwards and her hands were pulled up above her, attached to a chain and her whole body was lifted, all her weight on her arms and she let out a groan, standing only on her tip toes.

"What are you doing?!" She cried out, trying to turn to look at them but not being able too, pain ripping through her shoulders "You can't do this to me!" But she heard the doors shut behind her and she realised with a suddenly clarity that she'd just watched them murder Gregory...they could do exactly as they pleased.

* * *

 **Oh dear...that's never good. Next chapter shouldn't be too long, thanks for reading if you've stuck around xx**


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Just a little warning that this chapter might be a bit hard to read, it includes torture.**

* * *

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Thirteen

She'd been hanging there for hours, she suspected a day due to her blurred, fuzzy vision of Gregory in the next room. He was turning grey.

She'd never cried so much in all her life, she kept expecting to wake up from a horrid nightmare, half screaming to find Eric next to her trying to calm her down. Eric...oh god Eric...what would he think? Did he think she'd left him? Surely he'd know when he went to find Lucas because that was the first place he'd look and when he knew she wasn't with him he'd know... _he'd know something was wrong._ Why hadn't she just listened? Why hadn't she just done as he'd said, dangerous...it was too dangerous and he'd said that for a reason. She closed her eyes again, feeling the sizzling sparks of pain that ran up and down her muscles with her weight being essentially held only by her wrists.

She stared at Gregory again. Her friend...one of her best friends in fact. A man who'd loved her son like his own son... _Gregory._ He'd been in love with her. She wasn't stupid, of course he had, no man acted like that unless they did. So smart and caring...and good looking...not like Eric, not rough and dark and passionate but blonde and bright and prince like...the ideal kind of beautiful. She'd never really thought about it much because she'd been so busy mooning over Eric but now that she did think about it, she wondered what it would have been like...

 ** _He kissed her, leaning over the edge of the bathtub, his hand to her cheek and she gasped a little in shock, closing her eyes as he ran his teeth over her lip and pulled gently before slowly, agonisingly slowly, he pulled ever so slightly away._**

 ** _"You were saying?"_**

 _Eric?_

"Hello Beth." She gasped, letting out a sound of pain as she jerked awake, finding herself sitting down, her arms fastened down to thick wooden chair arms. She curled her fingers, trying to move them, wiggling them before she slowly looked up at him through her long, greasy hair. It took her a moment to understand.

"Eric...?" She said weakly, her voice breaking as she looked up at him, hope rising in her for a moment.

"How are you Beth?" He asked, his tone calm as he reached up, his finger drawing her hair out of her face and she realised with a sinking horror that something was horribly wrong.

"What's going on?" She squeaked out a quiet plead, a tear trailing down her face. "Please let me go..."

"I can't do that." He said shaking his head, his face impassive. "I need you to tell me where David Soloman is and then it will all be over...I promise you that."

"...Oh Eric..." she gasped out shaking her head and closing her eyes "Eric not you..."

"Tell me Beth."

"But I can't!" She exclaimed, tears in her eyes "Because I don't know him-!" and he hit her, the sharp, horrible sound of the back of his hand connecting with her face mixed with her squeak of pain, echoed through the room, sending her head almost all the way around.

She gasped, staying where she was for a moment to try and understand if that had just happened or not, tasting blood in her mouth almost as a conformation as she slowly lifted her head back up to look at him. He leaned forwards, his large hands wrapped around the arms of the chair just above hers.

"Don't make me do this." He said darkly and she only stared up at him with her large eyes.

"I'm not making you do anything-" She gasped as he hit her again, sending her the other way and so hard that she almost fell out of the chair if it wasn't for the restraints. She was sure he'd knocked her unconscious for a moment.

He was on his knees in front of her now, pulling her head towards him and pressing his forehead to hers, his hands cupping her face.

"Don't make me do this…don't make me do this, I'm begging you." He said it so quietly that she almost didn't hear it.

"…Eric…" His name was a whisper from her lips, her head swimming as she let out a breath hearing him growl in anger.

"Beth please!" And he pushed himself up, kissing her, his fingers lacing her hair behind her ears. "Please…" He asked, pulling away from her, her face in his hands, as he looked her in the eye, looking for any hint of any particle of knowledge she would give up. But she only frowned at him, her lip was cut and he ran his finger along it, shaking his head and pushing his lips against hers, kissing her again and again. He stilled for a moment, her face still in his hands, his eyes closed as he calmed himself down and when he reopened his eyes, they were stone cold.

"…Eric," She said again but he'd stood up, looking down at her

"Tell me what you know about David Soloman."

"I don't know anythi-" the sharp hit echoed through the room again

"TELL me what you know about David Soloman." He said a little louder this time, her breathing was laboured

"I don't know ANYTHIN-" He hit her again, breaking her off mid scream and her jaw felt like it was on fire. "Stop, Eric please stop!" she gasped, looking up at him with her large tear filled eyes.

"TELL ME what you KNOW about David Soloman!" His tone was going up and down, up and down and she didn't know if he was doing it for effect or if it was just her hearing faulting.

"I don't-" She didn't even get half way through the sentence as he hit her again and tears were streaming down her face involuntarily as she turned to face him again, coughing up blood violently, her whole body shaking "Eric get someone else to do this!" Her voice was ragged and breaking "Not you! Not you PLEASE!" She cried but he seemed to be ignoring her.

"BETH. TELL ME ABOUT SOLOMAN."

"NO!" And he hit her again, sending her right over, sagging in her chair. She hardly felt him unlock her handcuffs, tying her wrists together and then pulling them above her in agony as her arms were pulled up again. Her eyes snapped open and she was suspended by just her arms once more, she let out a squeak of pain, her ankles not having been unattached from the chair and it's weight pulling her muscles down.

"When and where do you meet him?"

"Stop…" She whispered,

"Beth." He said grabbing her face and forcing her to look at him "WHEN and WHERE do you meet him?"

"Get someone else to do this…not you."

"For Christ sake! Beth it isn't a hard fucking question!"

"get…someone…else…" His jaw locked and he reached up, grabbing one of her fingers, his body was so close to hers and she could smell how familiar he was to her.

"Beth." He said quietly, his forehead against hers, "Tell me what I need to know…"

"I forgive you…I know this is…your job…I know that this is killing you."

"Not as much as it's killing you." He said and she closed her eyes. He closed his eyes, almost feeling a little sick before, reopening them and knowing what he had to do. She could see it in his eyes.

The snap of her finger ran through him like a shot of ice and she screamed, pain erupting through her like nothing before. She was sobbing into him and despite himself he was holding her up, oddly comforter and interrogator all in the same moment. His chest felt as if someone was shooting him repeatedly with a shot gun. He held her then, his lips to her ear, arms around her.

"Just tell me this…tell me what I need to know…please…Beth I don't want to do this and it will rip me apart but I will because it's my job and that's my whole purpose." She was shaking under him, she gasped amazed by the pain.

"I have nothing to tell…" He pursed his lips, swallowing before letting her weight go again and causing her to cry out in pain, her head lolling between her shoulders and he stepped backwards and away, leaving her there alone.

* * *

She was being dragged, unable to stand any longer. She drifted in and out of consciousness.

 _How long have I been here?_ She asked into the darkness.

 _Days?_ A voice replied, her head swimming horribly

 _Who are you?_

 _I don't know...who are you?_ She thought about this for a long moment before replying.

 _I...I don't know either..._

Voices were echoing in her head but she knew that she were lying on the ground, was she dead? No, she could hear her heart beat. But Gregory was. Gregory was dead. And she felt herself sob, curling up on the hard floor and unable to open her eyes, they were swollen closed.

 _How did I get here? Something is wrong._ The voice came through the darkness, cutting off her thoughts again and she thought about what they were asking her.

 _I don't know...how did you get here?_ She replied,

 _Who are you?_ Why did the voice want to know? Why did it want to know who she was?

 _I'm Beth._

 _Beth!_ The voice was male. And she knew it somehow and it was shouting at her, ringing out through her head as if through a wall, as if she had her ear pressed against a wall and she was listening to him screaming her name, it was on the tip of her mind and she could hear it yelling at her.

She was suddenly yanked up again to her feet by her arms, someone then shoving her down in a bright room on a chair and she blinked. She could see people in front of her and she tried to move but found that she was strapped to a chair, her arms clamped down to the wood with thick straps with large buckles that were digging into her skin. She looked down at them again, seeing the blood splattered across them, scratches all the way down her fair arms and then the horrific bruises that circled her wrists and she felt tears burn in her eyes. She looked up as someone said her name.

"Do you understand why you are here?" She blinked, unable to see the person in front of her, they were a silhouette, black and unseen, just a figure.

"No!" She cried, terror in her voice

"You are here because you're a criminal. You have betrayed your faction and your city."

"No! No I haven't!" She cried, her voice breaking "Please! I don't understand what's happening!"

"You have been sentenced to death-"

"What?! No!" She cried, her voice a husk of itself "I have a child! Please! I have a little boy! He needs me!"

"That makes no difference."

"It makes every difference!" She shouted back, glaring at them "I won't leave him alone in this world!"

"I'm afraid you no longer have a choice." The voice that sounded behind her she knew well and she closed her eyes, she could feel her hands shaking and she was so unbelievably scared. And then she heard the loading of a gun, the distinct metal click and clack and she gasped for breath, beginning to panic.

She felt him move in front of her and she took in a shaking breath as she looked up at him and the barrel of a gun which was pressed to her forehead.

"Eric?" She said looking up at him and trying with everything in her to pull her wrists from the chair. "Eric what are you doing?!"

"I have to do this." He said bluntly. "You don't understand."

She felt her breath freeze in her throat and something in her snapped, pain exploding through her as if someone had stabbed her in the arm. Had they? She looked at her arm which seemed normal and then slowly up at the barrel of the gun and Eric and she found, to her utter confusion that he wasn't moving, almost as if someone had paused him. Everyone around them, the figures in the background...frozen...

"What..." She breathed, frowning gently before suddenly everything was moving, the scene around her melting into fragments of shinning light and her vision blurred and confused came back to her and she was looking at someone she recognised, warm brown eyes were staring down at her and he was shaking her but she could only blink at him. His head suddenly whipped around as someone else's arm came at him and he let go of her as his own arm went out to stop them from attacking him and engaging in a fight. She slowly turned her head, blinking gently as she looked at the figure next to her.

He lay in a slightly reclined chair, the chair's they used for the test...she could remember them from when she'd received it so many years ago. She tried to say his name but no sound escaped her lips. He looked like he was asleep...she moved her eyes, half lucid as she looked up the screen above them. He was on the screen, he was holding someone in his arms, silently screaming out as he crushed the tiny, unmoving body to him. She didn't understand...what was happening?

Her arm hurt, it was burning cold and she looked down to see that blood was streaming down her skin and puddling on the floor. She blinked at it, her eyes shifting to the swinging wire of an IV. It had blood on the end, dripping the red mixed with a clear liquid and she realised that it had been forcibly ripped out of her arm.

Suddenly Harvey came into view next to Eric, his eyes scanned him, and he too seized the IV in his arm and shouted something over his shoulder before yanking it out. Eric sat up suddenly, his eyes snapping felt like everything had been put on mute. She couldn't hear anything. She just stared as Eric threw himself to the side of the chair away from her and threw up.

She frowned, staring back up at the screen and blinking at the image which was frozen there. It hit her like a punch to the gut what she was looking at. She could see on the flickering image how small the legs were, the hands and arms and as the frames flicked through, showing Eric slowly leaning backwards, further and further until she saw it. Lucas. He was dead. His eyes open and staring blankly up at her. She stared at it. She stared at the image as if nothing else in the whole of the world mattered more than what she was looking at and she felt her insides burn, burning as if she'd been set on fire.

She knew she was screaming before she heard any sound, her mouth was open and she was screaming at the image in front of her, she was looking at her version of hell.

* * *

 **Oooo God what the hell is going on hey?! Well you'll find out soon, thanks for the faves and follows, reviews are really appreciated! :)**


	15. Chapter Fourteen

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Fourteen

She couldn't breathe, she couldn't stop staring at the screen and everything else around her didn't seem to matter, not even staying alive, because that screen, _that screen…_ She could hear talking, background noise of people with raised and worried voices, something happening to her left meaning the warm brown eyes were suddenly gone, running in the direction of whatever was happening. Everything in her felt like it was burning.

The screen suddenly flickered off, turning black and banishing the scene that had been tormenting her and she seemed to regain some kind of composure. She moved her attention to where everyone else was and she could see Harvey being restrained by Four, he looked like he was shouting but there was still so much ringing in her ears so she couldn't understand. He seemed to be shouting up at whomever stood on the balcony of the circular room they were currently in. She had no idea what was going on but white, clinical looking rooms were never a good thing. She blinked again, refocusing on Eric who sat, his back against the wall, his head down, eyes closed, body language uptight and tense.

She began to reach out for him, her heavy arm slowly reaching in his direction, her voice merely a whisper away from calling his name when suddenly she felt herself physically flinch, her memories of the last few days hitting her like a bulldozer and she gasped sharply, her expression changing to a cold horrified confusion. Her intake of breath seemed to reach his attention and slowly he lifted his head, as if he were trying to take himself out of the dark place he'd been. His eyes connected with hers and automatically she witnessed the change in his expression, the slight frown etching into his forehead. It was the way she was looking at him that unnerved him.

She suddenly moved, throwing herself off of the chair and standing up, her legs almost buckling beneath her at the sudden weight but she held herself up and went for the double doors, pulling them open and throwing herself out into the corridor and straight into a wall.

Her hearing resurfaced and the seemingly deafening shout of her name caught her attention and she looked back over her shoulder to see Eric vault straight over her chair in pursuit. She used all her strength to push off the wall, almost tripping over the unconscious guard who was slumped by the wall and running down the corridor with everything she had. She had to get away; she had to get away, God she had to get away from _him._ She ran past people in white coats, pushing past the members of erudite who watched in fascination as she went, shocked and confused about what was going on, she chanced a look over her shoulder, seeing he was still in pursuit, that determined look in his eye which frightened her to her very core but she rounded a corner, almost running into Janine.

She stood there, her eyes cooly fixed upon Beth who skidded to a halt, her breath catching in her throat and her eyes widening. She turned, but to her horror watched as Eric rounded the corner, stopping for a second, his eyes flicking from Beth to Janine before advancing towards her. She didn't know what to do, confusion and fear clouding her judgement and needing it all to stop and without knowing what else to do she lurched at a nurse wheeling a tray past and grabbed a scalpel, turning on Eric and pointing it at him, the point so close to him as he advanced he had to very suddenly stop, almost stumbling backwards in order to not get cut.

Silence descended onto the corridor bar Beth and Eric's laboured breathing, although his slowly quieted, hers remained rapid and frightened.

"…Beth…" he said carefully, eyeing the scalpel, his hands up to show her he wasn't going to touch her "Please put that down."

"Step. AWAY." She said forcefully, her voice shaking and she saw the flicker of hurt across his features.

"Beth-"

"Don't call me that!" She exploded; her eyes wild with a fire that made her look insane.

"Elizabeth," It was Janine's voice that sounded causing her to flinch, her eyes still locked on Eric. "Why don't you come with me, we'll explain everything."

"I don't want to explain anything…I want my son and I want to go home!" She said the words to Janine but her eyes were burning into Eric's, unblinking and unbeknownst to her she was crying and she saw his jaw clench.

"Which I understand," Janine said soothingly, taking a step towards her "And he's on the way, he's safe and sound coming back from Amity." She swallowed, she wanted to look at Janine to see if she was telling the truth but she couldn't risk taking her eyes off Eric. Her focus suddenly dipped for a moment and she blinked rapidly, shaking her head for a second to wake herself back up.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?!" She said angrily, Eric was watching her, his jaw set and he seemed to be paling considerably.

"Beth-" She shook her head, her expression crumbling into an angry snarl,

"Never again," She whispered shaking her head and he seemed to grow anxious

"You can be as angry as you like, but you are bleeding and I…please, just-"

"Eric," it was Janine that spoke again, calm but in control "Why don't you take a few steps away from Miss Green?" Eric's eyes shot to her, glaring at her with such intensity as it were the last thing on earth he wanted to do at all "Because she might then feel that she can put the scalpel down?" Eric's jaw locked angrily before his eyes flicked back to Beth. He seemed to be trying to say something to her with his eyes, but at that moment she just couldn't work it out, she was to tired and confused, everything ached and she just wanted him to leave her alone.

"Beth?" She blinked, looking over Eric's shoulder and seeing Harvey and Four, she felt her heart rate speed up again

 _He paused with a smirk, his hand slowly running up her thigh._

She eyed him, shaking her head at him with a frown, her head felt like it was burning. Harvey scared her too; they'd hurt her…hadn't they? She was so confused…

"Elizabeth why don't you come with me-?" Janine began but Eric cut her short

"I'm not letting her go anywhere with you, are you fucking kidding me?" Janine raised an arched eyebrow at him, her hand on her hip.

"She's part of my faction Eric," she replied coolly.

"And look what you did to her!" He exploded, taking a step towards Janine but was held back by Harvey's hand on his shoulder.

"Well, fine, Miss Green do you trust any of the Dauntless boy's here to accompany you? Perhaps then our mutual friend would be able to calm himself down and realise he's doing more harm than good." She watched Eric seethe, his eyes narrowed at Janine, Harvey's hand still on his shoulder. She blinked, swallowing, her throat dry before her eyes slowly found Four. She felt her hand lower slightly. She didn't know why she trusted this man, she'd only met him once but perhaps it was the fact he'd known Gregory? He'd never lied to her…hell he'd tried to help with Martha and of course he'd come to save her. He nodded slightly, only enough for her to see it.

"Well, I see you'll be joining us then," Janine glanced at Four whose only response was to stare broodingly at her. "Come along," She said shortly and Beth felt herself tense, her eyes lowering for a split second before she glanced back up at Eric and swallowed, shaking her head and taking a few steps backwards, he went to pursue her but Harvey's hold tightened on his shoulder and Four stepped in front of him, their eyes locked intensely on one another.

"Calm down. I won't let anything happen to her."

"Oh I know you won't." Eric said coldly, glaring at Four "Because if she has so much as a new scratch on her, I'll rip your lungs out." Four let out an irritated laugh.

"It's a good thing I'm doing this for her and not you…stand down, Jesus," he growled the last part, pushing Eric back a little with his hand before turning to Beth.

"…You're safe with me. You know that right?" His voice was low and reassuring, almost as if him being a threat to her seemed ridiculous to her and she swallowed, her hand still grasping the scalpel. This man was still dauntless…he was still a killer.

"Why did you come here? To get me out?" She asked, he had no loyalty to her at all, so why was he here?

"Because you're a good person and you didn't deserve what was happening to you." He answered simply, his eyes flicked to the scalpel. "…can we maybe put that down?" She glanced down at her weapon and with Four as a barrier between her and Eric she looked over her shoulder at Janine who was patiently waiting, watching.

"Okay," she replied quietly, suddenly feeling a lot more timid and he gave her a half, one lined smile before holding out his hand. She gave him the scalpel, which he put back on the tray and then stepped forwards, guesting for her to come with him which she did. He was careful not to touch her.

She didn't look back at Eric but she felt his eyes on her, she could feel the burning hatred he had for the entire situation scorching her skin, telling her to turn around, to come back to him, to let him make her safe…but she couldn't. Because she couldn't get rid of that feeling in the back of her mind, the very real feeling of him hitting her, again and again and again.

"I'm still bleeding," she suddenly muttered and Four nodded.

"Here," He passed her some gauze he'd seemingly grabbed from somewhere "Hold this to the IV exit and elevate your arm, should be fine." She nodded, doing as she was told "…Wow, not even a sarcastic comment…" She blinked up at him

"What do you mean?"

"We're used to people answering us back, we're dauntless, most people can get a bit mouthy…you just do what you're told." She eyed him,

"I guess…not all the time though, actually that's probably the reason we're in this mess, because I didn't do what I was told." He was about to reply when both realised Janine had come to a stop, showing them into a room. She swallowed, anxious for a moment but she felt Four's hand on her back.

"I'm not going to let anything else bad happen to you…okay?" She glanced up at him exhaling and trying to calm herself down before nodding and entering the room.

"Please, sit down," Janine said, sitting on a very angular looking sofa, she was unsure at first but her fatigue got the better of her and she sat, looking over her shoulder as she did so to see Four stand directly behind her. Janine looked at him.

"…wouldn't you like to sit?"

"No." He replied bluntly, crossing his arms over his chest, Janine looked as if she might protest but then shrugged and opened a file that was on her lap.

"Elizabeth," Beth flinched at her name, her eyes locking onto Janine. Janine smiled cooly "Do you understand what happened?" Beth felt her jaw clench and she swallowed thickly.

"No. I do not."

"Well, let me explain." She paused holding up a picture of Gregory "You know this man?" She felt a stab of pain ricochet through her heart.

"I did." She answered bitterly, Janine nodded, diverting her eyes

"No, my dear he isn't dead." She felt her heart impact horribly, skipping a beat and almost choking,

"W-wha-but, but I saw it? What?!" She exclaimed, suddenly looking around to Four who was watching Janine "Four?!" He looked down at her and smiled a little,

"You need to listen to what else she has to say." She blinked, feeling a tear slip from her eyes before she turned her attention back to Janine.

"He's a member of the factionless resistance, in fact he _is_ the factionless resistance…" She stared at Janine "David Soloman is seen as the leader of the newest rebellion, the man behind the bombings, the shootings…but the reality is that this man is the mastermind behind it all…"

"…No, no I've known him my whole life," she paused, frowning as she looked at Janine with a shake of her head "Gregory's harmless,"

"Four here has been gathering intelligence on him for some time, we had to make sure it was true. And then of course there's you." Beth frowned,

"Me?" she questioned, almost as a moan "What about me?"

"Well, you and your son seem to be a particular favourite of Gregory's, when I learnt you and Eric were back in…" she paused clearing her throat "Communication…" Beth felt herself blush horribly "We had to be sure you weren't gathering information from Eric and passing it onto Gregory." She stared at Janine. Her eyes wide and unable to believe what she was hearing. She suddenly stood.

"You thought and I," her voice was shaking as she pointed at herself "A _school teacher_ would allow the bombing and shooting and murder of innocent people? You thought that's what I was doing?!" She exclaimed and Janine cleared her throat,

"We had to be sure."

"Was it really him." She said suddenly, Janine's features remained impassive

"He wasn't really hurting you-"

"Was it _him_?" She said defiantly, her eyes locked on Janine. Janine blinked, considering her answer.

"Would you like me to tell you it wasn't?" She felt her heart break, splintering into pieces. Perhaps she'd been holding out for the idea that it had been a projection in her mind of him, that he'd not hurt her…that he'd never hurt her. Why was she kidding herself? She'd gotten back into bed with a bloodthirsty wolf.

"Miss Green, we had to be sure and it was the only way-" Beth let out an unbelieving laugh shaking her head. She suddenly turned to Four.

"I need to get out of here. Can you take me out of here?" He began to respond but Janine interrupted him.

"We can't let that happen unfortunately, although we believe you possess no information and are not part of the resistance, David Soloman is still a threat."

"Fine, but I can't listen to this anymore," she said, turning back to Janine begrudgingly "Where's my son?" Janine glanced at her watch.

* * *

Four was having trouble keeping up with her as she pushed through the corridors of people.

"Hey! Beth wait!" but she wasn't listening, she just wanted Lucas, she just wanted to make sure he was okay. She knew the image on the screen hadn't been real, it had been part of Eric's own fearscape but she still needed it, she still needed the reassurance. She turned down the corridor to a much emptier space and strode towards the door seizing the handle and glancing inside through the large window.

The scene before her was oddly domestic; Eric was kneeling down at Lucas' level who was rapidly talking to him about something and the look on Eric's face was one of a perplexed happiness which she'd never seen. Their profiles were more or less exactly the same, spare for the few things that he'd inherited from her. Lucas was Eric's doppleganger already at six years old. Her heart physically hurt and she felt her knuckles whiten around the handle before she stepped backwards.

"Do you want me to get him out?" Four's voice entered her hear and she turned her face to look at him.

"…I'm looking at what I've wanted since I was fifteen but the man I'm looking at just hit me until I was unconscious in a fear scape…" Four looked at her for a long moment, silent before he slowly spoke.

"…We all have to do things we don't agree with, that's the nature of our faction, we're soldiers, we carry out orders. He knew it was a fear scape, he wasn't really hurting you, he had to do it to prove to everyone around him you weren't a traitor and then had to enter his own fear scape where he witnessed the death of his own son for the first time…and I saw some of it, he resisted, he kept asking them not to make him do it, that's why he kept saying it in the fearscape." She felt her eyes close, her hand going to her chest, it burnt horribly, her heart ached and her lungs felt restricted. "You already know you're going to forgive him, so you might as well not waste time and just be with your family. You obviously love him, God knows why but you do and he loves you, which again, perplexes me beyond any doubt because he's a fucking asshole." He finished bluntly and she felt herself let out a laugh.

"…So that's why you came to help me then, you knew Gregory was lying?" She looked up to Four whose face remained impassive.

"Well…it was my fault for giving you that letter, and I accidentally threw you to the Lions, it was my responsibility to help you. Max is easy to convince when you know how." She nodded with a sad smile.

"Okay…well, thank you."

"Not a problem. Go and see your son." She nodded, watching as he turned and walked back down the corridor and she closed her eyes for brief moment taking a deep breath before opening the door and entering the room.

Lucas was asleep now, curled on the sofa, his head on Beth's lap as she gently stroked his hair. Eric was sitting at the other side of the room, on the floor watching silently, his back against the wall by the door. She felt like he was being a guard dog. He was watching her; she could feel his eyes upon her, waiting.

"…I know what happened," she broke the silence between them, her fingers still stroking Lucas' hair. She slowly looked up to him "And it's okay…it wasn't real." He said nothing and this made her nervous, continuing, "It wasn't your fault Eric, you were just doing your job." She felt her voice tremble and stopped, regaining her composure. "Lucas is fine. Look, he's here, it's all okay." She paused again, waiting for him to say something but he did not "…Eric? Please?" he inhaled deeply, clearly thinking.

"Why are you forgiving me?" He sounded almost irritated "This easily? Really?" He said raising his eyebrows before letting out a snort "You're a weak woman Beth." He shook his head as he stared intently at her "I still knew what I was doing. Just because it was in your mind doesn't mean I didn't hurt you…I saw that look in your eyes, I hurt you, perhaps not physically but mentally and you were scared of me. You were scared of me Beth."

"I've always been scared of you." She replied with a slight shrug "It's not exactly a new feeling." He looked away from her, standing up and shaking his head

"Don't you understand how _insane_ that sounds?!" He exclaimed "I mean do you? It isn't right!"

"Why not? That's who you are, I accept that. Sure sometimes you frighten me but you also make me feel incredibly safe, I know you'd never hurt me or Lucas...not really."

"Are you sure?" He said suddenly and it felt as if the temperature in the room had dropped.

"What?" she replied sharply.

"You heard what I said Beth," He replied darkly "How do you know? I'll do what I'm ordered to do." He let out a bitter laugh "What, you think if I was ordered to shoot you I wouldn't? You're naïve." She felt tear sting in her eyes

"Your pushing me away and you're trying to scare me-"

"I already scare you!" he said suddenly loudly and Lucas woke, sitting upright and staring at him with alarmed eyes.

"Mom?" He questioned and she turned, his face in her hands

"It's alright, it's alright baby," She said "Eric's just a little angry,"

"With you?" He questioned and Beth sighed gently,

"…maybe…I…its complicated Lucas."

"It's not complicated." Eric suddenly said and she shot him a warning looking but Eric wasn't looking at her, he was looking at Lucas "The truth is Lucas, I hurt your mom, and I'm a very dangerous man and you shouldn't be anywhere near me." He moved then, striding across the room and exiting it without another word.

* * *

 **HIYA. Well hi there, sorry i've been away for some time, my bad, was finishing my degree and all that! Well I do really, really want to finish this with what I originally wanted to write so i promise i've not gone away! Anyway, thanks for sticking around if you're still reading! Hope you enjoyed the new chapter! Let me know what you think. xx**


	16. Chapter Fifteen

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Fifteen

She hadn't followed him, Lucas was her priority and she wasn't going to leave him to run off after Eric. It was frustrating, they seemed to be going around and around in circles and she knew that all both of them wanted was for this to work, for them to become a real family. Right? Because that's what they both wanted didn't they? The whole of her felt cold and distant, what was she going to do? She could practically here her mother's 'I told you so' echoing around in her distant memories.

Everything was so confused and conflicted, they hadn't even really talked about her suicide attempt, mainly because getting Eric to talk about anything with any actual meaning that wasn't 'different ways to violently incapacitate someone' was virtually impossible. She didn't know what to do, perhaps Harvey had been right all along, perhaps there was no way any of this could ever work…the fact of the matter was their lives were almost incompatible, the only reason they hadn't been because of the bombing, what would people say when they found out they were mixing factions? Was it even allowed? But then Eric was one for just creating his own rules, he always had been. It felt like they'd solved nothing. Even the time they'd spent together alone had only been a couple of days, they hadn't talked, hadn't been able to really communicate and not just because trying to get Eric to talk about his feelings was almost impossible but because they'd just not had enough time...not enough time, perhaps that was going to be Beth's life moto? Never enough time to do what was needed, say what was needed...to love.

Lucas suddenly standing up brought her out of her thoughts and she frowned gently at him from where she sat.

"Luke what's wrong?" He looked at her for a moment, his big eyes holding knowledge in them that he shouldn't know and it felt like someone had punched her.

"I'm not stupid you know," Lucas was an extraordinarily clever boy, but Beth knew this better than anyone, sometimes he almost sounded more in the know than her.

"What do you mean baby?"

"I mean…" he paused sighing dramatically, it would have been comical if she wasn't so on edge "…I know he's my dad." his innocence was fading before her eyes and it struck her so suddenly that she lost all capability to form words but Lucas carried on "He's so angry all the time," he said with a shrug and a small frown "I think he's confused." Beth felt herself smile before shaking her head and remaining serious.

"Eric…is a very complicated man…"

"What's complicated? All the other kids have dads," He shrugged again "I thought I didn't and now I do…isn't that it?" She smiled again at him, moving across the short space and kneeling down in front of him, her hands gently on his arms.

"It's complicated because he didn't know he was your father and being a father is very difficult, especially because of his job." She paused taking in a breath, trying to think how best to explain "He doesn't know how to be…well, a dad." She finished with a slight nod. Lucas thought about this for a moment before shrugging again,

"I don't mind." She smiled,

"I know baby, but he has to decide what to do on his own."

"But he loves you." He replied with a frown as if it just didn't make sense to him at all. "That's what happens when mums and dads love each other right? They have a family." She closed her eyes for a moment. Of course Lucas wasn't stupid but he was still a child, there were so many things he couldn't understand about Eric's world…about her own world.

"It's…its just complicated baby," she replied again quietly and he suddenly narrowed his eyes in a way that scarily reminded her of Eric and she had to readjust her face to not look horrified.

"If you aren't going to explain it to me, maybe he will." She wasn't quick enough to stop him and he slipped out of her grasp, running for the door and closing it behind him.

"LUCAS!" She called out, hauling herself to her feet and running to the door. She grabbed the handle, looking down at Lucas who stood on the opposite side of the glass, his fingers turning the lock just before she could pull the handle down "Lucas Green you open this door right now!"

"No!" he exclaimed back, his eyes big "I'm sorry mom, I love you!" He finished before suddenly running off.

"What?! No! LUCAS!" She shouted again, rattling the handle of the door in half panic, half utter bewilderment that her usually very obedient child had just locked her in a room. "H-how is this happening?! LUCAS!" She shouted again even though she knew he'd gone. Clearly Eric's personality was much more ingrained in their child than she had first thought.

* * *

His anger was over taking everything; he had been trying so hard to move past it all but he couldn't because she'd been _scared_ of him. And not the way in which it was fun because he was unpredictable and he could rip her clothes off at any minute but the real, _he's going to hurt me_ , kind of scared. It wasn't her fault, he knew it wasn't her fault, but he was still irritated by the fact that she'd given in so quickly, perhaps it was true that it hadn't been real, but it would have seemed real and even in the simulation she'd said it over and over again 'It's not your fault, I forgive you'. But it was his fault. It was _all_ his fault. All he had to do was control himself, ignore her presence back into his life, _but you'd been weak hadn't you?_ _You'd let her get straight back under your skin you weak fool. She's weak and she makes you weak. You're a leader Eric, what exactly do you think-_

"Hi." He almost had a heart attack, his head snapping to the staircase beside him and seeing Lucas. He glared at the kid who only seemed to find it funny and grinned, the grin so stupidly big that it made Eric's expression completely soften. But he didn't smile. He crossed his arms over his chest, fixing Lucas with a look.

"Where's your mom?"

"Back in that room,"

"And she just let you come out alone?" Lucas looked at him for a long moment before Eric rolled his eyes, his arms dropping to his sides.

"Come on, I'm taking you back."

"No!" Lucas exclaimed standing up before Eric could grab his legs. Eric looked up at him standing on the stairs above him and let his hands curl around the bars of the banister.

"Why not?"

"Because she won't tell me the truth! I'm not an idiot!"

"She doesn't think you're an idiot. She loves you." Eric said automatically without even thinking.

"So if she loves me, how come she's lying to me? You don't lie to the people you love. I learnt that in school." Eric sighed weighing up the options in his head.

"Look kid," He gave in "When you're a grown up, sometimes you have to lie to protect people, it just happens like that. You don't want to lie to whoever you trust, but sometimes, sometimes it's just something that you haven't got a choice in."

"Is that why you lied?" The question hit him squarely in the chest and he pursed his lips.

"When did I lie?" Eric questioned deadpan, but his knuckles were tight around the bars.

"To my mom. She thinks I don't know it's you that makes her cry so much. But it is, because who else could it be?"

"It's complicated kid, you don't know-"

"Why does everything think I'm stupid?" He questioned again sounding so much older than he was and Eric wondered how he'd managed to conceive a child whose mental age seemed at least two years older than his actual number of years on this earth. "We look the same!" He exclaimed angrily and Eric blinked, unable to mask his expression of surprise "I didn't ever feel like I didn't have a dad, I did, it just wasn't you. I don't look like mom, so," he paused shrugging "I always sort of guessed I looked like whoever my dad was and then I met you and it…" He paused, thinking really hard, trying to find the words for what he wanted to say "It was easy because my mom looks at you all the time…she never looked at Gregory like that. I thought we were a family like the other kids at my school, but it wasn't the same." He was frowning down at Eric, his little hands in tight fists. "Do you love my mom?!" He asked accusingly, his little voice echoing in the stairwell and Eric seemed to do nothing but stare at his own son.

"Is that what you want Luke?" He asked finally

"That doesn't matter!" He replied angrily, such anger for such a small kid "If you love each other then you have to be together, that's how the world works! Stop making my mom cry!" He finished and before he could stop himself Eric was smiling, a proper smile which was mainly reserved for times when he was completely by himself…or shooting someone who deserved it. With children, they saw the world in such a black and white way; it was so good or bad, happy or sad, yes or no. Why was it that when you became an adult, everything suddenly became so much more complicated and confusing? Why couldn't be as simple as Lucas said?

"I'm not very likeable Luke." He said then with a shrug and Lucas looked at him with a frown,

"Why not?"

"I'm just not," He said with a casual shrug, Lucas looked at him for a moment before walking down the stairs and appearing at the bottom, still standing by it, his hand on the railing as he looked at Eric.

"Well I like you." He said with a frown as if any other scenario made no sense to him at all. Eric moved, pushing off the side of the staircase and walking towards Lucas before kneeling down in front of him so he was at the same level.

"Then maybe that's all I need." The smile that broke out over Lucas' face was glorious and Eric wondered for a moment why he didn't smile more or if he had when he was a kid…maybe, who can remember that sort of thing really? The boy threw his arms around Eric's neck, hugging him furiously and Eric actually laughed, shaking his head and wrapping one large arm around the tiny kid.

The conflicting feelings of peace from such acceptance and fear of a sudden and overwhelming responsibility flooded his senses and he closed his eyes, trying to make sure his arms didn't hold his son too tightly... _his son._

His instinct completely changed when suddenly and without warning alarms started sounding, he stood, lifting Lucas easily who was frowning and looking around, placing his tiny hands over his ears. Something was wrong.

"Lets go find your mom." He said suddenly shooting a look at Lucas who nodded rapidly and without another word both had gone.

* * *

Four's face appeared at the window and her eyes widened, her palms pressed against the glass. His hand twisted the handle which didn't open the door and he looked at her deadpan.

"…How did this even happen?" He looked annoyed, exasperated even.

"My son,"

"Your six year old son locked you in a room?" He questioned pursing his lips together angrily and raising his eyebrows

"He's a genius okay?! Will you just open the door?!" She burst out angrily and he rolled his eyes

"Stand back. He's broken the lock." She did as she was told and suddenly a fire extinguisher was being smashed into the window and Four all but ripped the handle off from both sides, the door slowly swinging open.

"What's happening?" She asked quickly, covering the distance between her and Four,

"The short story? Solomon King is happening."

"We need to find Lucas." She replied bluntly and he nodded,

"What do they even want?" She asked as they began walking down the corridor at a fast pace, the alarm still blaring horribly telling people to evacuate the building.

"They are an organisation that essentially believes Divergents are the future." He paused weighing something up in his head "I mean that's what a lot of the factionless believe too, but the difference with these guys is that they think the 100%'s should be killed off." Beth stared at him, stopping in the middle of the corridor.

"…What?"

"They aren't like the factionless or the resistance, these guys are just dangerous…they hurt innocent people."

"And you think Gregory is one of them?" She let out a laugh shaking her head "I can tell you now, he's not. He'd never hurt anyone, he's a good man."

"Well he's locked in a cell anyway so if he is or isn't doesn't matter, he's not going anywhere." She nodded "Where did Lucas go?"

"After Eric," she replied as they stared moving again.

* * *

The smoke cleared in the foyer, the heavily leather clad man stepping over the bodies of the people he'd just moan down with his guns. He was tall, towering above most and surely over six foot five. He scanned the room, narrowing his eyes and moving with a body which made him look more like a large, wild animal than a man. The alarm was still going off, whirring and screaming out, telling people to evacuate and he looked up slowly to it with a dark, scarred eye. He pointed the weapon up and shot the alarm, the bullet slamming into the mechanism so hard it exploded.

"They can run…but I'll kill them all." He stated slowly, turning to look at his team. They were a rag tag bunch of men and women, all looked the same, all cruel and blood thirsty. They were the kind of people who if you passed them in an alley way late at night, you'd turn back around and go the other way.

"Soloman," A woman spoke, her eyes flash dangerously. "Where we going?"

"Into the future."

* * *

 **Oh my god hi! sorry i dissapeared again, uni commitments and trying to find a job commitments beckoned, but here's another chapter! I'm having a well deserved day off so i hope to have the next chapter up soon. Also CatSimons, So she would have been injected after she was taken from Janine's office, Gregory is in custody and the letter was real, mainly with Beth it was to find out if she knew anything, but your about to find out a lot about who these people are and who Gregory is so that's pretty exciting!**


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**RIGHT. I'm determined to actually finish this because i hate reading stuff on here that you're really enjoying and then suddenly they aren't finished and it's the worst, so, I promise you, I WILL FINISH THIS STORY HOW EVER LONG IT TAKES. (Bonus: I already know the end, i've written it, it's just getting to the end which is the hard bit.)**

* * *

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Sixteen

Everything happened all at once, Four threw himself on top of her as they were thrown to the floor, explosions echoing all around the building and causing the lights above them to swing menacingly, flicking in and out of power, dust and debris falling from the ceiling and collecting on the floor below. Beth looked up, Four coughing and pushing himself off of her and rolling onto his back.

"I don't know why I keep thinking this day won't get worse."

"How do you think I feel? I'm erudite, I'm not even supposed to be around stuff like this! You signed up to get shot at and exploded!"

"Fair." He replied with a nod before launching himself to his feet and helping her up. He dusted himself off as Beth peered down the corridor. "We need to regroup with the others, i'm sure that's the first place Eric will go and then we'll find Lucas."

"Uh-uh no way," She said shaking her head "Eric can look after himself, Lucas is six." Four pursed his lips frowning at her,

"Look, we can't pointlessly wander around this complex not knowing whats going to be around every corner, if we regroup we can get to the security rooms and locate Lucas on the camera's, that means we'll find him quicker."

"Sure, you do that, i'm going to try and find him by using those great things I have called eyes-"

"Do you have a death wish?!" He hissed at her, stepping closer to her, his slim shoulders intimidating. "Because I have no idea what's up there apart from Soloman whose obviously got weapons. You cannot just go wandering around here by yourself, you'll get yourself killed! Or worse!" He exclaimed and she frowned,

"Worse than getting killed?"

"You think they don't know who you are?" He let out a bitter laugh "Please. They see you? They'll take you alive and use you against Eric, he's one of the leaders Beth...and you think they'll let him save you? Do you?" He fixed her with a _'they won't look'_ before he shook his head "I know you love your son and you're protective of him, but running around blind without a plan or strategy in a building full of people who will probably kill you isn't being brave or a good mother, it's just stupid!" She stared at him, her mouth open a little in shock.

"Oh." She replied in shock

"What?" He answered, his hands in his hips and he let out a breath.

"That's...well it's just no ones ever shouted at me making sense before. Usually it's just 'Beth you'll get yourself in danger!' or 'Don't sleep with him he's a dick' but you actually just gave me legit valid reasons why I shouldn't do that." He stared at her for a good few seconds.

"Okay after this, you're going to work on your listening to other people skills okay?" She nodded and he motioned his head and together they continued up the corridor.

* * *

Eric slammed into the wall, his gun in one hand, carrying Lucas in the other.

"You alright kid?" He whispered, half looking around the edge of the corridor to see if anyone was there. He looked at Lucas who, although a little pale and shell shocked, nodded. "Okay, good. What we're going to do is i'm going to go around the corner and see if your mom is in the room, you're going to stay here okay?" Lucas looked a little unsure but begrudgingly nodded as Eric quickly set him on his feet and kneeled. "Good. Listen to me," He caught the boys arms in his hands, turning his face up to look into younger, identical eyes. "If anything happens to me, anything at all and I can't come back and get you, you've got to run, you've got to get as far away from here as possible, if you can't find your mom, find Harvey, or ask someone to get in contact with him okay?" Lucas frowned, clearly troubled by the request

"But what if don't want to leave you...?"

"It doesn't matter. Sometimes you have to do things you don't want too in order to survive, and you being safe? That's the most important thing here."

"What about mom? She important!"

"Yes she is, but she wants you safe, she doesn't care what happens to her as long as you're okay." He looked at this kid and wondered if he could remember the first time he'd experienced something like this and if he could remember how he felt, but he couldn't. Rebel groups had always been around, even when he was younger, but nothing like this, this was the kind of upheaval that could change everything. "Do you understand?" He finished finally and Lucas nodded, a look on his face that showed how brave he was really trying to be.

"Okay, stay here, i'll be right back." He fixed him with one last look before standing up and peering carefully around the corridor again, it was empty, a little hazy because of all the dust in the air. He moved then, sprinting down the corridor and stopping just short of the open door of the room he knew she'd been in. The door was ajar, the window broken and the handle missing. He propelled himself around, pointing the gun into the room and scanning it but finding it completely empty. Fuck.

He didn't blame her for moving, she'd probably gone straight after Lucas, knowing her, but it just meant now she'd be harder to find. The sound of distant and rapid gunfire sounded, echoing through the halls. Somewhere above them was a fire fight, usually something Eric would run towards, but right now? He had more than himself to think about.

He turned, his mind working overtime with what to do next, he had to think like Beth which essentially was just chaotic thought and drive to locate her son without any real thought about what danger she would be walking into. He seethed at the very idea of how infuriatingly stupid such a clever woman could be. It was then that he saw it, the footsteps in the dust leading in the opposite way, one big, one small...she was with someone else. Of course he didn't know who exactly but he suspected it was either Harvey or Four, who else would have bothered to come and find her? If she was with either of them that changed things, they'd be heading towards a regroup or security camera bay.

"Lucas!" He hissed and he saw the little boys head pop out around the corner, gazing at him with large eyes, "Come on!"

* * *

"Good news," She turned at Four's voice, seeing him march towards her, a tablet in his hand which he handed her "He's with Eric," Her body visibly relaxed as she let out a breath seeing the two of them running down the corridor "And it looks like they are heading this way. Bad news?" She pursed her lips looking up at him _do i really want to know?_ "Soloman's finding his way down to the cells, I think he's braking out Gregory and probably your friend Martha." She frowned, clearly confused

"...but...but why?"

"Look, you can't know why he'd doing what he's doing, Gregory might just be a pawn in his game, we don't know but if Soloman's breaking him out? I would have thought there is more too it than that."

"I just can't see it," she said shaking her head, clearly determined "He's not a bad guy...he's...he helped raise Lucas, he was a good father figure to have around, I just can't see how the guy could be...anything else."

"You can never truly know anyone Beth...if i've learnt anything, it's that people are good at hiding things." She thought about this for a moment

"Maybe, but he's still my friend Four, he's still the guy I grew up with, the same with Martha. I won't abandon them." She went to move but he caught her arm

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to go and help them, Eric has Lucas, he's safe."

"Is something wrong with your head?" He asked, his teeth gritted angrily "Because you've either got some kind of death wish or you're just stupid. You can't help people if you're dead Beth!" He exclaimed angrily

"I can at least try!" I pushed, grabbing onto his wrist and locking eyes defiantly with him.

"How does Eric even deal with you? You realise we're trained for this and sometimes we still get shot or killed? What can you do? Honestly, tell me right now how and in what way you could help them and i'll let you go and do it." She blinked, swallowing and biting her lip

"I can't just sit here!" She exclaimed "I can't just sit here and wait for them!"

"Yes you can. You want to know why? You're a mother. Your biggest priory is being alive for your child. You don't need to be a martyr or a hero. You've got bigger responsibilities than that, don't be so selfish!" She felt her breath catch in her throat as she stared at him. She was being selfish by being unselfish...and she knew that. She'd been lying to herself for so long, why did she want so much to run head first into danger? But there was no need for for her to even ask that question because she already knew the answer.

They always said that didn't they, you didn't need to pick the faction that you were pointed toward in the test, it was still your choice who you became. She could remember the woman turning to her and telling her she'd scored Dauntless. She could remember it clear as day. Perhaps she'd been stupid picking love over herself all those years ago. Maybe that's why she'd hated him so much. Eric had escaped, he'd chosen himself over her and gone to dauntless. She on the other hand had picked him, she'd picked to stay in a faction she did not belong because as long as she was with him, she'd have been happy.

Beth knew what she was. She was just like him. The only difference between them was that he was selfish enough to ruin her and she was selfish enough to let him.

* * *

 _In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. And over a further seven days he created the world we know, the earth and sea, sun and moon, creature and beast... And he rested, basking in such a glorious creation._

 _But you see he made a vital error...he then created man. He created man, and in the way in which we tend to do, we betrayed him and created a world seeped in divides and lies and hate and pain. And then millennia. Countless years roamed across our world, winds howling, earth shifting, oceans burning…and man slowly became worse than the demons that ruled hell. Humanity was punished with a war that almost destroyed the planet and rained devastation down upon a blackened and twisted world. And now we are here, locked inside a tiny world being told that if you are different, you are destined to die._

 _But this is my story. It's always been my story. I am the patient, waiting voice of the unheard, the silenced and the murdered in cold blood…they call us Divergent but to me it's just simple; we are the superior race and they fear us. They should fear us. We are the ones who are every faction; we have the capability to be everything and we are not limited by one choice in who we become._

 _I've been hiding in plain sight for years, a fox in a den of vicious wolves. They preach about how we are killing innocent people, but they are just as bad as us; they've just been doing it longer. And anyway, the important fact to remember is that all the bombs and shootings that occur are not always us…that's the ironic thing about Divergents, they look exactly the same as everyone else…even a garrison of Dauntless in disguise._

 _People believe if a government does something, if a government makes decisions then they must be right. But it's still murder. Divergents don't deserve to be experimented on and murdered in cold blood, I've seen so many die and so many vanish. They are my people and I will liberate them from a society that wants them dead and I will turn the tables, I will point the barrel of the gun at their heads and I will open fire on the vermin that walk the streets. They do nothing to stop the institutional murder going on in front of their eyes, so why should we spare them? Evil wins when good men do nothing and I am no longer content to sit and watch my people as they get slaughtered._

 _I suppose in wars it can be difficult to not take sides, whose bad and whose good, but quite simply, perhaps it's just our turn to have all the power because i'm tired of feeling powerless._

 _I can feel myself becoming tense so I sit up, stretching out my neck and back muscles and pulling myself up by the bar as I began the pull ups. I was deceptively strong, my strength hidden under carefully selected clothes, sure I looked like a science geek who wore bad clothes but what it did was hide the fact that I was strong, tall and lean and so ready so shed this disguise i'd created for myself. Gregory...poor little Gregory who never got the girl and never stood up to anyone and did as he was told and bore such concern for his friend Martha...I almost choked on my own vomit at the thought of the sap i'd had to play. But there was no point hiding it anymore, i'd let them easily find me in order to put my plan in motion...all of it was happening like clockwork._

 _I'd watched her with him since I could remember and the enraging jealously that built up in me was incredible, but i'd had to bide my time again, sit back and watch as she couldn't find it within herself to be with anyone but him, even when he was gone._

 _And then here he was, back on my scene when i'd been so close. Beth was an unneeded item, purely for selfish gain because I lusted after her like a tomcat. Her son however was a whole different game. The son of an Erudite and a Dauntless...a boy who was incredibly clever, had the kindness of a saint, the bravery and fierceness of a lion, a sense of truly right and wrong and of course, a boy whose unselfish need to make his mother happy at all costs...? Come on...you don't have to be a genius to work that one out._

 _I'd been training and assessing him since before he could remember, Beth was too far gone in her own pain to notice and her sister adored me. It was too bad really that her good for nothing husband didn't realise that his children were mine. Clarissa was a strong woman but she was unloved by her husband and despite what you might be thinking, she didn't love me, our relationship was purely physical, a need we both coveted. I gave her what her husband didn't, and she knew I wanted Elizabeth. She always knew. In fact I think she wanted it too because then she'd have even more of an excuse to be in my company. Clarissa was the only one not within my inner circle to see my true nature. My determined mind and my persistence to get what I wanted._

 _And then there was Martha, her friend and ally and then my friend and accomplice. I'd found out about her quite easily and i'd brought her into the fold by fanning her fear, making her understand what they'd do to her if they ever found out...making her see that there were more of us...that we were strong. That I had David Soloman._

 _And now here I was waiting...you see, you should never put the rat in the trap. You have to lure them in unsuspecting, but putting them in the trap where he is surrounded by his friends? A big mistake...an even bigger mistake to lock said 'terrorist' away in your communications hub. Honestly was she an idiot. Janine...I was looking forward to killing her, I really was, almost as much as Eric but not quite...no Eric would go slow and painfully...just as he'd done to others, i'd let him watch me take away his Beth and his son and then i'd burn her name off his back and hiss in his ear how he didn't have the right to brand her on him like that...she was far too good for such scum of the earth._

 _It was almost time, I could hear them coming._

 _God sent a strong warrior to liberate the repressed, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good._

* * *

 **Ohhhhhhh nooooooo, so quite a few bombshells in that chapter, hopefully will not be as long a wait for the next one! Thanks for sticking with it if you have and as always, reviews are always appreciated and loved!**


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Well this was quick, but I felt some need for some BethxEric interaction. This whole chapter is literally one big argument but hell, they just do it so well.**

* * *

The Weariest of Bones

Chapter Seventeen

She was outside, being evacuated with everyone else and turning around as she saw the smoke rising from the building. Four's hand was wrapped around her wrist, half dragging her towards safety. She couldn't quite believe what was happening, the explosion that rocked the building was unlike the ones from before and suddenly everyone was out, running for their lives. Something was very very wrong. She'd tried to protest, tried to refuse going without Eric or her son but Four had ignored her, pulling her out with the rest of the people gathered in the security rooms. She kept looking back at the building, her breath hitching horribly in her throat.

"What have they done Four?! What have they done?!" She asked, looking up at him with wide eyes and he shook his head, frowning as he pulled her towards a gathering of dauntless soldiers who were all gathering from off the trains, armed and ready.

"Four." Her attention turned to the voice of Max and she stopped just behind Four, whose hand was still clamped around her wrist, making sure she didn't go anywhere, his expression taught. "You were inside?"

"Yes,"

"Tell me what's going on."

"Soloman, he's there for the prisoners, that's what I suspect anyway."

"Why? What's his directive?"

"I don't know Sir, but I suspect it isn't good." She tried to dig her nails into Fours hand but he only forcibly batted her hand away.

"Max," Both Four and Max turned to look at Janine who strode up to them, high heels clicking "You need to contain this. Immediately."

"We're discussing it now. Ms Matthews is there anything else in that building apart from Gregory Cooke that they want?"

"Not that I can think of," she replied directly, glancing at Beth and then back to Max. "You believe he's breaking out Gregory?"

"Yes. This will determine once and for all if this man is an accomplice or just someone they want to recruit. Did you test him?"

"Yes, 80% divergent, Martha was 5%."

"What a waste." Max replied deadpan.

"Not at all." Janine replied and Beth watched her, her tone had filled Beth with a sense of genuine dread but she wasn't sure why. "Miss Green." She looked at Janine, her chest rising. "It seems Four's become rather attached too you."

"She'll go straight back in that building if I let her go." Four deadpanned "She's worse than a child." He threw a look over his shoulder and she glared at him

"I don't advise that Miss Green. Let the professionals do their job."

"My son is in there-"

"And i'm sure they'll find him safe and sound, is he with his father?" She swallowed, her face paling. Of course she knew...Janine knew everything about her life, she'd been documenting it and sending it in creepy little reports of Eric.

"We need to have a discussion about that." Max said suddenly, his voice low and irritated, not looking at either Beth or Janine, but somehow Beth knew he wasn't addressing her.

"About what?"

"About the fact that one of my soldiers, a leader none the less, has a child with another faction member. How exactly did you think keeping information like that from me would play out?"

"I didn't see it as your business, Eric was never supposed to find out, I wasn't ever going to divulge that information too him and Miss Green here certainly wasn't. It wasn't until you painted a target on that school that put them back on the same path that he did. So if anything Max _well_. It's your own mess." Max glared at her, narrowing his eyes to the point where it seemed he no longer possessed a pair.

"...what do you mean 'painted a target on that school'?" Beth asked frowning at them both and both their attention snapped towards her as if they'd forgotten she was there.

"Classified. Get her out of here, she can't be part of briefing's she's a citizen." He directed angrily to Four who pursed his lips again, trying his hardest to remain completely calm before suddenly turning and dragging her off in another direction.

"Four. Four!" She cried again as he ignored her

"What?" He replied angrily not looking at her as he marched her across the increasing number of dauntless that were arriving.

"Where are you taking me!"

"I'm going to put you in a car and send you back to dauntless." She made a sound of frustration, digging her heels into the ground to try to stop herself

"You can't just-" He suddenly stopped turning around to look at her

"Yes I can. God knows how he puts up with your persistent disregard for the rules. Beth, i've already told you, being brave is sometimes very stupid, episcally when you have so much to loose."

"I don't care!" She exclaimed "I'm not leaving here! I can't!"

"You can and you will."

"Mom!" She turned, knowing that voice inside out and feeling her heart soar in her chest.

"LUCAS!" She shrieked, she felt Four release her as she broke out into a run as he hurtled at her, she caught him as he threw himself at her, lifting him completely from the ground in a bone breaking hug. "Don't do that ever again! Do you hear me?!"

"Yes...i'm sorry." She showered him with kisses, hugging him so tightly before she opened her eyes. "...Lucas, where's Eric?" She pulled away from her Son, looking at his features, Lucas looked at her for a moment before pointing behind her and she turned, looking and finding that Eric had walked past them and was talking too Four.

"Eric?" She said, he glanced at her but remained in the conversation he was having with Four. She placed Lucas on the ground, taking his hand and refusing to ever let it go again as she walked back towards the two. "Hey." He finally turned to really look at her.

"You're going back to Dauntless," He said, his tone irritated and it's usual tone of scathing.

"Oh God not you too," She replied rolling her eyes.

"Of course, did you expect me to say anything different?" Eric glared at her "From what I just heard from Four you've been a pain in the ass." She glanced irritably at Four

"I'm so sorry I was bothered about your safety Eric, next time I won't bother caring."

"I'm not talking about that," he said heatedly, fully turning towards her, "I'm talking about your one woman suicide mission to go and 'help' two people who are more than likely trying to get us all killed!"

"They are my friends! I wasn't going to just-"

"Harvey!" She felt Lucas' hand slip from hers and both her and Eric followed him with their eyes as he bounded up to the tall, tattooed gunman who lifted him onto his hip, easily carrying him in one arm.

"Oh no, are mom and dad fighting again?" He said to Lucas who shrugged, shaking his head. Beth felt her eyes widen, her mouth dropping open.

"Harvey!" She shouted, rounding on him "What the hell?!"

"What? He's known Eric's his dad this whole time." He said, apparently stating the obvious and shrugged. Beth blinked, her mouth snapping shut, she glanced at Eric who shook his head slowly, looking away from the situation. "The kid's not an idiot or blind Beth Jesus." She gaped at Lucas who only stared at her before going back to zipping and unzipping the zips on Harvey's jacket.

"Wha-" she gasped feeling tears burn in her eyes, her chest burning from exertion. She felt Eric's arm wrap around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug at an unbalanced stumble, "He's known this entire time?!" she exclaimed into his ear, her voice high-pitched and a little hysterical, her fingers crushing into his jacket.

"He told me today." She pulled away from him with a frown looking up at him "It's fine Beth, he knows, he's known for a while, he's fine." She studied his face, still appalled and taken aback, more with the fact she was apparently the last one to know this. She turned her head to look at Lucas who was now busy chatting with Harvey who'd walked him out of earshot of the conversation his parents were about to have.

"It's fine..?" She questioned, her voice breaking "Fine? Is that what you think?"

"Yeah." Eric answered with a frown "How can it be anything but that?" She stared at him, her eyes wide in horror at how he couldn't see how this was an issue.

"B-Because we don't even know if we're going to be together!" She suddenly pulled away from him, her arms wrapping around her tiny frame and she watched the irritation pass over his face as he raised his eyebrows at her.

"Excuse me?" He closed the gap between them menacingly but she took another backwards.

"We were still working things out! I can't just let you back into our lives without knowing if it was going to work! We still haven't talked!" He rolled his eyes

"Oh jesus, what about?" He replied deadpan and she gapped at him, amazed he was even trying to act like everything was completely fine.

"What about?" she gasped "Fuck Eric, everything!" she fisted her hands into her hair shaking her head "What's wrong with you?! You cannot just waltz back into his life and then leave in two months when you're bored!"

"It's not my fault I didn't know he existed. That's on you. I'm not going anywhere."

"Oh no?" She let out a bitter laugh "What about when Max orders you too? Because I heard him today, he doesn't like this, he doesn't like it at all."

"You think I give a fuck what Max thinks?" He glared at her intently "I can do whatever I want Elizabeth. You included." He hissed and she scoffed,

"Oh _nice_ , You can 'do me' can you? Like you're still sixteen?! You're so immature!"

"I'm not immature Beth, what I am in a vindictive bastard with a control complex whose become once again fixated on you. But again, that's all your fault. I tried to stop you from getting attached to me again. I tried. But you just kept pushing yourself back in like you always do." He glared at her "You already knew what I was. You've always known! Why didn't you run a hundred miles when you saw me coming?! You knew this would happen! You _made_ it happen and if you think i'm letting you go anywhere then you really are stupid. You wanted me, so now you have me, you don't get to run away because you're scared, I. won't. let. you." She looked at him as if he was completely out of his mind and she shook her head.

"You're out of your mind."

"Yeah well, as I said you knew that already." He finished bluntly glaring at her.

"You can't just keep people." She whispered shaking her head and he once again raised his eyebrows threateningly closing the gap between them

"Wanna bet?" She swallowed, eyeing him and a flash of the fear scape echoed in her mind and she flinched. She watched the panic flit across his face and he looked at her, _really looked at her._ "What is it?" His voice still held irritation but had an edge of concern to it.

"Nothing," she said breathlessly.

"Elizabeth." He replied, his voice low and deadly and she swallowed.

"I still see it." she whispered, her chest rising and falling "I still see you doing those things." She saw the flicker of uncertainty register over his face.

"I'm not a good man Beth. You know that. I did what I had too." He watched her breathing rise again, taking a careful, shaking step back from him but he matched the step "If you want reassurance this isn't the place you're going to get it. You made this bed, now it's time to lie in it."

"I've come to terms with the fact i'd gladly set myself on fire for you, I can't help it. You hurt. I know that. But Lucas? That's not happening. I'd take the pain from being without you for him to keep him safe from you. I'd choose him every time."

"You honestly believe i'd hurt my own son?" She looked at him for a long, long moment, tears searing in her eyes before whispering,

"I honestly don't know anymore."

* * *

 **I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER OH MY GOD. IF YOU GUYS KNEW. Again, reviews are much loved 3**


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Hello friends! Here's the next chapter, jesus i'm spitting these out! Mainly it's because I want to get this done! It's been uncompleted long enough! Also, I wasn't intending this chapter but they reallllllllly need to have this talk.**

* * *

The Weariest Of Bones

Chapter Eighteen

She was looking out at the rain which swept across the landscape in great, thick sheets which cloaked the rest of the city from her eyes. She looked over her shoulder at the small bundle that was Lucas. He was sleeping, his chest rising and falling in rhythm with his breathing and she realised just how beautiful it was to watch, the smallest, simplest of things. She turned, leaning against the window, the bare skin of her shoulder pressing against the cold glass.

She thought about the last few weeks and the upheaval in his life, how she'd been probably the worst good mother in the world. Her mind was so full of questions and answers and worries and all she wanted to do was turn it off, just for a while, perhaps then the answer would be simple. She felt tired, but she couldn't sleep, her body ached and her mind seemed to be replaying and replaying all the things that had happened.

They'd gone back to dauntless just after her and Eric's argument, at that point she just didn't want to talk anymore, she didn't want to think about how much of a disappointment she was to everyone all the time. Even Eric, she was the biggest failure of his life, the biggest secret, all his greatest fears wrapped up within her and her son. She had real power to cause him harm. As Harvey had said before, he'd never seen him like this, so out of control, so conflicted. He was usually so calm and collected...so cruel. But if Beth had ever been able to do anything, she'd been able to throw Eric off balance.

She already knew the reason she'd freaked out when it turned out Lucas was already aware Eric was his dad. It should have been a happy moment, it should have been so wonderful that he was that accepting of him, but for her all that had happened were warning lights flashing, sending fear and worry and realisation through her. She'd been using his lack of knowledge as an excuse, a reason to keep Eric at arms length, she needed to protect her child, she needed to _be sure._ But now? This was it, this was the moment she had to decide exactly what she was going to do.

He was going to be part of Lucas' life regardless, she realised there was no way she could stop that and so the simple thing to ask herself was, could she watch Eric around her son as he grew and not want more? The answer was already emblazed in her head, no, it was either he was in or he was out and she knew he wouldn't go without one hell of a fight. When Eric wanted something, it was rare he wouldn't get it, his determination both excited and terrified her...much like their relationship.

But what kind of relationship could they even really have?! They were in different factions, they'd not really been together since they were fifteen and sixteen and well...it wasn't simple at all! Lucas! Lucas was at the centre of this constantly and already they argued more than her and Clarissa. And there was still so many things they hadn't said, hadn't talked about, but also it was the past! and shouldn't they just let that go?! Shouldn't _she_ just let it all go and start again? But she needed that closure and-!

"Hey..Beth?" She snapped out of her thoughts, jumping at the sound of Harvey's voice and saw him standing by the lift.

"Oh! Hey Harvey...how are you? What happened?"

"Most people are coming back...there was a massive fire fight, the building basically burnt down...they managed to apprehend Soloman,"

"Oh," she said with a nod, the relief on her face obvious "What about Gregory and Martha?"

"Gregory they have too, Martha got away, they are trying to find her but...well, it's a big city that she knows really well." Beth nodded, hiding her relief at Martha escaping, she did not want her to die, she deserved to be free, she'd never done anything wrong divergent or not. "Both Soloman and Gregory are here at dauntless anyway." Harvey glanced at the sleeping Lucas who frowned in his sleep, making a sound of distress. Beth moved towards the bed, perching on the end and stroking down his hair, almost as if she were smoothing out the lines of his frown and he settled, comforted. "Eric let the attack." Her head snapped up and she tensed, watching him intensely "He's fine," he said and she let out a breath closing her eyes for a second, her body visibly relaxing. "He's downstairs finishing up a briefing...I thought maybe you guys could..." He paused, clearly choosing his words carefully "What I mean is, I can stay here and look after Luke, you guys can talk." She looked at him for a long moment and she sighed gently.

"You're a really good man aren't you Harvey?" He blinked, clearly taken aback by what she'd said

"Oh...well, I wouldn't go that far-"

"No, you are. Trust me." She blinked, looking down at Lucas again and smiling warmly "Do you think he'll be a good father?" Harvey looked at her,

"Depends what you mean by 'good father', will he be sensitive and patient? No, not at all. But will he be there? Yeah, Eric's a lot of things Beth, you of all people know that, and he's different with you and Luke anyway, it's not really a question I can answer."

* * *

She moved through the dark corridors of dauntless which were lit by the white night lights. She didn't like it here, it was too cold...too rough. She was walking towards the pitt where she knew he'd be, dauntless members walked past her half asleep, ready for their beds, ready to collapse into unconsciousness. She heard his voice before she saw him, talking to some of the soldiers, the words he used tough but encouraging, telling them they'd done well today, but they needed to keep their guard up. She stopped at the edge of the pitt, her slim fingers wrapping around the bar of metal, looking down and seeing the group of soldiers facing him. She watched him talk without really listening to the words. Her heart summersaulted and she realised just how handsome he was really, beneath all the male bravado and piercings. She could still see the young Erudite, still a little awkward but full of fight, how hadn't see seen it those years ago? How hadn't she seen that he was dauntless?

The truth of it was this. She'd met Eric a few months before she'd turned sixteen, he'd been two months younger than her and had just missed out on the test that year. She'd fallen hopelessly head over heels and when they'd given her her score back, that she belonged in dauntless, she'd had a choice to make. Leave and become who she was probably supposed to be, be brave and probably die young, or stay, stay with a boy who made more sense to her than anyone else ever had. And she'd stayed. She'd picked love, she'd picked Eric. She'd also never told a soul her real result, she'd buried it deep within her like her feelings.

She could remember the day of his own choosing ceremony. He'd told her she had nothing to worry about, that he'd be back before she knew it. He'd outright lied to her, he'd already known then what he was going to choose. She could remember finding out, Gregory telling her in the library and how she'd run, how much it had hurt knowing he'd not sacrificed for her what she'd sacrificed for him. She found out she was pregnant a month after he'd left. The cut only went deeper. She left like he'd ruined her idea of trust and loyalty, in fact ruined her life and he wasn't even there to watch her break.

She felt eyes on her and broke out of her thoughts to see that he'd seen her. He now stood alone in the pitt, the soldier's he'd been talking too all leaving,making their way out towards the barracks. Her stomach squeezed and her knuckles tightened around the metal barrier. He moved, walking towards the steps and taking them two at a time, she could see the muscles in his large arms working to pull his bulk up the metal frame. She turned to face him as he reached the top of the stairs, her heart was hammering in her throat.

"What's that face for?" He asked and she blinked in surprise

"...What face?"

"The one I could see from down there. You're frowning." she blinked nervously, her mouth opening to say something but retreating and biting her lip, diverting her eyes. He let out an exhale, slowly covering the gap between them. "You say you want to talk, but then you go all quiet on me. Beth, look at me." She did as she was told, looking up at him as he stopped beside her. "What's going on?" Her mouth felt dry and her tongue heavy but she knew they needed to do this.

"I…I think we need to talk,"

"About what specifically Beth because you've got a lot of stuff rolling around in there." He fixed her with a look at she sighed gently. He shook his head, sitting down on the floor, his legs dangling over the edge of the pit. There was silence for a long moment. "Why do you think i'll hurt Lucas?" He suddenly asked, a hint of irritation to his voice.

"I think being tortured by someone you believe loves you impacts your believe in what they might do to your son."

"Which I get, but it wasn't real Beth," He looked up at her, a small frown on his forehead "Believe it or not I did it to save you from further pain."

"...how?"

"Because they wanted to actually hurt you." He finished "I wouldn't let them. And if it was me doing it? I had control over what happened, you weren't just in your fear scape Beth, you were in mine."

"...when?"

"When I had to hurt you. It's one of my fears, they just used it to their own advantage because I wouldn't let them hurt you on a hunch." he paused "And when they knew you weren't a traitor, they had their proof, they'd leave you alone and you'd be fine. Just a bad dream to forget." She took all of this in then before finally sitting down herself, she noticed how his hand hovered protectively around her back to make sure he could grab her if she slipped.

"But how did you know I wasn't? Didn't they say they were worried that i'd just tried to get close to you again for information?"

"Yes." He replied deadpan and he looked at her "But honestly? I'd have seen it, your emotions are written all over you."

"What if I had been?" It was a question that clearly threw him and his jaw locked angrily, his eyes suddenly blazing

"You're not so does that matter?"

"Yes. I need to hear you say it."

"If you'd have betrayed me like that, the outcome wouldn't be good." She swallowed thickly "But you aren't a traitor. Which is why this conversation is irrelevant. Beth i'm not going to hurt you because you've done nothing to warrant it and you never will do." She closed her eyes for a second leaning her head back.

"You pushed me off a roof when I disagreed with you." he let out an exasperated sound.

"Oh don't be a child, there was a net at the bottom." He gritted his teeth shaking his head "Beth if you believe that I would actually ever put you or Lucas in harms way then why are you here?" She looked at him then for a long, quiet moment. "Do you honestly believe that I would?"

"I think...you're a solider that follows orders." He exhaled, finally understanding

"Look at me." She glanced up at him "What could you possibly do that would interfere with my work? What?"

"I don't know." she finally concluded "I'm...I'm just," she paused sighing "I keep waiting for you to leave!"

"Why?!"

"Because you did before! And i'm _more_ mentally unhinged now than I was then!"

"Why do you think you're mentally unhinged Beth?" She stopped suddenly, her body tensing.

"You know why." she paused, pursing her lips "I think we should talk about _it_." She watched his face tighten, his eyes suddenly cold. He knew exactly what she was referring too.

"What is there too say?" His answer was slow and weary, almost as if the very idea of it drained him.

"You've been different since I told you...and then all those things happened and I..." she trailed off shaking her head

"What do you want from me Beth?" He suddenly asked.

"I don't want anything from you…I just don't want you to blame yourself for something which…" she paused struggling for words "Happened a very long time ago!"

"Right," he sneered "Because you let go of the whole me leaving thing didn't you?" He suddenly stood, clearly loosing his calm

"That was different and you know it." She replied angrily, she pulled herself up too and he turned around to face her, their eyes locked.

"How?"

"Because I was very young, alone and pregnant! Of course it was different!"

"And you trying to kill yourself because you were 'very young, alone and pregnant' is something I should just forget about?" He shrugged, pulling a face and mocking that he didn't care "Knowing that the only real person I've ever actually cared about in my life, wanted to die because of me…I should just forget about it right?" She felt a stab of pain through her chest and took in a sharp breath, trying to keep herself calm. She was not going to start shouting that would not help.

"…We were kids Eric…you wanted more from your life than Erudite so you left…" she replied wearily shaking her head "You didn't know about Lucas…you can't blame yourself because you _just didn't know_."

"So, what? I should be angry with you for not telling me? Angry with Janine? With Lucas for being born?! Tell me! Who should I be angry with?! Because I'm fucking angry at something!"

"It was just a chain of events…!" she trailed off, desperately looking at him and trying to get him to understand "It just happened…and it doesn't matter…! I'm still here."

"The point is Beth, it shouldn't have happened." He slowly closed the gap between them and she watched him, her eyes wide "How alone did you have to feel to do _that_? Slitting your own wrists takes some _serious_ will power! …Getting to that point means you cannot see a light at the end of the tunnel _._ You think that I would have come back to you if you'd told me that night?" She blinked; taken aback by the question and hesitated "Because let's be honest Beth, both of us doubt that…" he trailed off slowly, his tone solid as a rock.

"But you can't know that!" She exclaimed with a shake of her head

"I am not the same man I was when I was seventeen Beth-"

"It DOESN'T. MATTER." She stated loudly, staring up at him "You can't know any of that Eric! You don't know what you would have done! No one does! There isn't any point in you torturing yourself over something you had no control over!" He exhaled lowly and she could feel his anger stewing. She felt him turn her arm over and she flinched, almost trying to pull away but he held on, his thumbs slowly drawing over the white scars on them.

"I _hate_ these…" he hissed and she frowned gently.

"… _why?_ " She asked, she just couldn't comprehend the hate. Sadness, sure, confusion, of course but hate? Why was he so angry about these two scars that hadn't worked anyway?

"Because…they show my failure." He muttered with an intense frown, staring down at them almost as if he could burn them off. She suddenly took his face in her hands, surprising him and getting him to look at her.

"No." she said bluntly "They show mine." He looked at her for a long moment before exhaling and reaching up to her wrists to take her hands from his cheeks.

"I know what you want me too say but it isn't going to happen."

"Eric-"

"You wanted me to talk so listen. These scars are my fault." he paused, his voice pointedly low, fingers still wrapped around her wrists, looking down at her "No long erudite words or sugar coating is going to make me forget that so you might as stop trying to take the blame all the God damn time. The fact of the matter is, this wouldn't have happened if I'd have stayed, maybe even if i'd told you I was leaving, but i didn't because I was a coward. Sure we can stand here all day and debate that, but to me it's clear as day; this is my fault so don't stand there and tell me it isn't." She felt her lips part slightly and frowned gently before shaking her head. "Beth, nothing you say is ever going to convince me otherwise. So don't bother trying."

"I suppose we'll just have to agree to disagree…"

"Wouldn't be the first time." He growled at her and she pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes at him. "Have you thought about what we're going to do yet?" His expression was suddenly clear and she turned away with a single shake of the head.

"No." she replied, rubbing her arm self consciously.

"If you don't want this I need too know so I can go back to my life." He said bluntly, his hands in front of him as if none of this bothered him at all. She turned back to him slowly with an expression of appalled hurt.

"Oh fuck you." She replied with a hurt laugh before turning to leave.

"Beth. I asked you a question. I answered yours, now you answer mine." She froze, turning back around to look at him. He was leaning on the rail, his huge arms locked as he stared intently at her, his face giving nothing away.

"Do I want to go back to my life where I sleep alone every night and take care of my son? Being scared he hasn't got a father to show him things I can't? Feeling pressured into marrying a man I don't love because it suits other people? Surprisingly no, not really." She finished wearily, rubbing the spot between her eyebrows "What I want Eric is to not feel _tired_ anymore…to not feel scared that I might go through this life completely on my own…also," she paused, her voice thick, blinking and feeling tears prick in her eyes "I'd like to have something for me? Because I've been living my life for my child, which I happily do… _God I'd give him the world if I could_ ," She whispered, smiling sadly, her eyes up to the ceiling trying to stop her tears "But it's not a life you know? I would like to come home to someone whose concern is if I've eaten enough that day or, whether I'm feeling tired…" she shook her head, the movement itself was tired, weighed down by her words "I would like to feel as if I'm supported by _someone_ , instead of this constant wearing feeling of holding up his world on my own." She finished, letting the silence engulf them and letting out a breath of air as if she'd been holding onto those words since she could remember.

"Okay then." His answer was quiet and assured, not a hint of doubt in his voice as he watched her. She frowned gently.

"…What?" She sniffed and blinked, confused. He pushed off of the railing, walking towards her and stopping just short of her.

"I said okay then. If that's what you want." She just stared at him as if he were saying words she didn't understand and he smirked "All you have to do is tell me what you want Beth. It's not hard."

"But I don't want you to just do it because I said that-" He shook his head, rolling his eyes and closing the space between them, his hands either side of her on the bar, fencing her in.

"I don't care what terms you come with, as long as I get you and my son…what more do I need from you?" he paused, a small confident smile playing over his lips "And anyway, from what you've just said the only thing you need from me, is me…and that's easy enough." He reached up, caressing her jaw and then lifting her chin with his finger. "All you had to do was ask."

"I'm glad you seem to think saying all of that was simple…" she bristled slightly, annoyed.

"You mistook my meaning of simple for easy there," he said with a smile "I'm sure that admitting you need me was nothing but difficult to say." He watched the suddenly irritation snap onto her face and found it very amusing.

"Woah, okay, I do not _need_ you, I do perfectly fine on my own and-"

"Stop talking." He suddenly kissed her, stopping her mid sentence and forcing her backwards so quickly she had to grab onto his shoulders as he forced her up against the railing.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it, finally they've actually talked! The next chapter is going to start putting things in their places for the end of the story so action will be returning very soon. As always, reviews are appreciated and thanks for sticking with the story!**


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